In Texas, nothing beats good tamales during the holidays. That’s why you don’t want to miss the second annual Posada & Tamale Competition, hosted by the Hispanic Leaders’ Network, at University High on Saturday afternoon. In addition to the crowning of the best tamale in Waco, enjoy live music and fun for the whole family. Even better, admission is free!
Sunday’s Caribbean Oasis Sports Bar & Grill in China Spring has quickly proven to be a dependable source of (eclectic) live music. You’ll be well rewarded for making the trip out there on Saturday night as Ken Elliott channels his inner Elvis, starting at 7 pm. And make sure to wear your blue suede shoes, so you can get down with the King.
If you’re looking to keep up with the best Waco has to offer—everything from the year’s top band, personal trainer, tattoo shop, and more in dozens of categories—head over to the Waco Awards 2022 show on Sunday night at the Hippodrome. Less a competition than a celebration, it’s a night to recognize Waco’s outstanding creative and entrepreneurial efforts.
Upcoming Events
Events subject to change. Visit Waco Insider for complete event and ticket details, venue info, and newly added/updated listings.
Have an event you’d like listed? Visit our event submission page.
Thursday, December 8
Grand Reopening | Skellington Curiosities | 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Dave's Holiday Happy Hour | Stay Classy Waco | 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Lights of West Christmas Light Park | Lights of West | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Equal Parts Pint Night | Dancing Bear Pub | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Cocktail Class with Don Phet | Balcones Distilling | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Twelve12 | Pivovar | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Pictures with Santa | Sunday’s Caribbean Oasis Sports Bar & Grill | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Acrylic Painting Workshop | MAKER’s EDGE makerspace | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Hip Hop Class | Cultivate 7twelve | 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
James Madstone | Barnett’s Public House | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Michael Foley | Fabled Bookshop & Cafe | 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Bobby Dean & The Timeless Country Band | Sul Ross Boot Scootin’ Dance Club | 7:00 pm to 9:15 pm
Stars Over Texas Jamboree: Christmas Edition | Lee Lockwood Library and Museum | 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Trivia Night | Brotherwell Brewing | 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Jonna Mae's Songwriters | Texas Music Cafe | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Cirque Italia Water Circus | Road Ranger | 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Asleep at the Wheel's "Merry Christmas, Y'all!" | Waco Hippodrome Theatre | 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Friday, December 9
Blow Your Own Christmas Ornament | Stanton Studios | 9:00 am to 6:30 pm
Santa at the Silos | Magnolia Press | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Grand Reopening | Skellington Curiosities | 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Christmas Lights in the Village | Mayborn Museum Complex | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Lights of West Christmas Light Park | Lights of West | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Friday Story Time with The Grinch | Fabled Bookshop & Cafe | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
The Ballou's Cats | Fuzzy’s Taco Shop (Hewitt) | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Santa's Arrival | Camp Fimfo | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Eric & Thomas Unplugged | Fuzzy’s Taco Shop | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Friday Night Dinner | Lighthouse Coffee & Wine | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Darrell Ray | Twisted Sisters Patio Bar | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Touch of Grey | Pivovar | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Joel Wood | Barnett’s Public House | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Christmas Nativity | Mission Waco Jubilee Theatre | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Cirque Italia Water Circus | Road Ranger | 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Bruce Carbonara | Blue Dog Wine & Martini Bar | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Brazos Brothers | Backyard Bar Stage & Grill | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Greg Schroeder | Freight Bar | 8:30 pm to 11:30 pm
Karaoke | Chapter 11 | 9:00 pm to 2:00 am
Saturday, December 10
Blow Your Own Christmas Ornament | Stanton Studios | 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
Waco Downtown Farmers Market | 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Monthly Car Show | So-Cal Speed Shop | 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
Grand Reopening | Skellington Curiosities | 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
3rd Annual Holiday Market | The Edison Marketplace | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Breakfast with Santa | Helen Marie Taylor Museum | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Art Lab | Art Center Waco | 10:00 am to 11:30 am
It's All about a Baby! Christmas Event | St. Jerome Catholic Church | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Winter Art Walk & Holiday Sale | Envision Realty Group | 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Deck the Union Hall Christmas Market | Union Hall | 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
BIPOC Holiday Market | Cha Community | 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Santa at the Silos | Magnolia Press | 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Art Lab | Art Center Waco | 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
FIFA World Cup 2022 Watch Party: England vs. France | Dancing Bear Pub | 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Cirque Italia Water Circus (matinee) | Road Ranger | 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
2nd Annual Posada & Tamale Competition | University High School | 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Cirque Italia Water Circus (early show) | Road Ranger | 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Lights of West Christmas Light Park | Lights of West | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Saturday Story Time with The Grinch | Fabled Bookshop & Cafe | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Startup Gala | BASE at Extraco Events Center | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Holiday Music Bingo | Southern Roots Brewing Co. | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Christmas Lights in the Village | Mayborn Museum Complex | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Chris Low Band | Fuzzy’s Taco Shop (Hewitt) | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Christmas Party Concert | Cultivate 7twelve | 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
MACT Christmas Jam | Papa Joe’s Texas Saloon | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Jared Pool | Camp Fimfo | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Dana Cooper | Texas Music Cafe | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Elvis LIVE | Sunday’s Caribbean Oasis Sports Bar & Grill | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Darrell Ray | Hoot’s Tokio Store | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Cirque Italia Water Circus | Road Ranger | 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Colton Hawkins | Twisted Sisters Patio Bar | 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Dragaret Holiday Spectacular | Brazos Theatre | 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Burn the Wicked | Last Chance Bar | 8:00 pm to 11:30 pm
Joe Parker Band | Elk Hall | 8:30 pm to 12:30 am
Kody West | Backyard Bar Stage & Grill | 8:30 pm to 11:30 pm
Karaoke | Chapter 11 | 9:00 pm to 2:00 am
The Johnny Joes | JRG’s Bar & Grill | 9:00 pm to 11:30 pm
Sunday, December 11
Pat McKee | Ridgewood Country Club | 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Grand Reopening | Skellington Curiosities | 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm
YuleTide Market | Bosque Square Shopping Center | 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Cirque Italia Water Circus (matinee) | Road Ranger | 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
The Nutcracker | Waco Hall | 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Mystery Book Club | Waco-McLennan County Central Library | 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Christmas Party Concert | Cultivate 7twelve | 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Sip & Shop | Pinewood Public House | 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Cirque Italia Water Circus (early show) | Road Ranger | 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Lights of West Christmas Light Park | Lights of West | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Christmas Lights in the Village | Mayborn Museum Complex | 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
The Waco Awards | Waco Hippodrome Theatre | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Monday, December 12
Storytime with the Mayborn Elves | Mayborn Museum Complex | 10:30 am to 11:15 am
Santa Paws Pet Photo Nights | Richland Mall | 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Acoustic Open Mic | Taqueria Mexicano Grill 15 | 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Lights of West Christmas Light Park | Lights of West | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Youth Chorus of Central Texas Holiday Concert | St. Alban’s Episcopal Church | 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Monday Night Lights Mountain Bike Ride | Bicycle World | 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Keep Waco Loud Open Mic Night | Stay Classy Waco | 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm
Tuesday, December 13
The Waco Trolley’s Christmas Lights Tour (early tour) | Nightlight Donuts & Coffee | 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
The Order of the Owl: These Hollow Lies | Fabled Bookshop & Cafe | 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Lights of West Christmas Light Park | Lights of West | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Beer Garden Yoga | Brotherwell Brewing | 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Smarty Pints Trivia | Southern Roots Brewing Co. | 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Towne Tuesday | The Crying Shame | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Texas Whiskey Society Blind Tasting | Barnett’s Public House | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Beer for Brains Trivia | Dancing Bear Pub | 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
The Waco Trolley’s Christmas Lights Tour (late tour) | Nightlight Donuts & Coffee | 8:15 pm to 9:45 pm
Wednesday, December 14
1 Million Cups Waco | Hustle Co-Working | 9:00 am to 10:00 am
Trivia Night | Bare Arms Brewing | 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Lights of West Christmas Light Park | Lights of West | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Trivia Night | Old Chicago | 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
The Record Forum | Texas Music Cafe | 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Holiday Party | Stay Classy Waco | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Witty Wednesday BuzzTime Trivia | Hemingway’s Watering Hole | 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
The Waco Trolley’s Christmas Lights Tour (late tour) | Nightlight Donuts & Coffee | 8:15 pm to 9:45 pm
Need to know when to staff up for large events? Click here to view business and social events that may not be listed above.
Coming Next Week
Christmas with C.S. Lewis, Third Thursday Throwdown, and Rogue One: A Hanukkah Story.