Waco, TX Trip + Silobration 2016
I still feel like the entire past weekend was a dream! For all the fellow Fixer Upper fanatics out there, a trip to Waco, TX and Magnolia Silos is a must if you ever have the opportunity! We were able to go for three days during their annual "silobration," which is the huge anniversary event they have to celebrate the opening of the silos each year. This year's Silobration featured a vendor fair, nightly concerts, + program featuring Chip and Joanna. In addition to all of the special events, the Magnolia market, bakery, + garden shop were all open for shopping, as well as the AMAZING silo grounds which feature a gorgeous green space, picnic tables, and lots of food trucks! We headed to the silos every day we were there (three days in a row!) because I just couldn't get enough of this place! You truly notice the immaculate craftsmanship and unique style that Chip and Joanna are known for in every inch of the grounds, and there is no detail that they have overlooked in creating an amazing community space that is perfect from top to bottom.
The entire area outside of the market was full of tables, chairs, beanbags, swings, and places to relax. This feature of the silos really makes it stand out from any other market like it- Chip and Joanna wanted to make it a space for fellowship that entire families could enjoy. There are even balls and toys for kids to run around and play with on the giant green space. You can easily spend a good portion of your day here!
Start with a cupcake or cinnamon roll for breakfast from the bakery- you can sit outside at one of the many tables and enjoy it and also grab a coffee from one of the food trucks! You may remember Common Grounds coffee shop from one of the first episodes of season 1 (Chip and Joanna remodeled the house of the couple who owns the coffee shop!). Common Grounds has a food truck on the Silos grounds and their iced lattes were AMAZING! I am still craving them and trying to replicate them. The inside of the bakery is just dreamy and the cupcakes literally melt in your mouth! I loved all the black and white details, sweet packaging, and cute names of all the cupcakes. We got lucky on day two and walked right in the bakery when it first opened, but the other days the line was wrapped out the door and down the block! I'm sure it is not that busy on non-Silobration weekends but keep in mind that it is a very popular place!
Next you can browse the market which is in the largest main building of the property. It is HUGE and full of home decor, Magnolia branded merchandise, and all of Joanna's favorite things! They even had some of the newest items that Joanna has been working on like her paint line, rugs, throws, and pillows. I also picked up one of the first copies of the Magnolia Journal, the quarterly magazine that Chip and Joanna will be putting out starting THIS week. I loved the behind-the-scenes stories and can't wait to try all the recipes inside- they did a great job with this first issue! As you can except the market also has some amazing displays and fixtures, which is always my favorite part to check out. One of my favorite areas was a giant wall covered with old distressed mirror tiles. There was also a little section called "Chip's Corner" with all Chip's favorite items, t-shirts, and hats. The market was absolutely PACKED everyday but we went early on Friday and were able to shop more comfortably. I would warn that if you do not enjoy crowds, Silobration weekend is not a good time to visit. Expect to wait in line for everything and the grounds are filled to the brim with people all weekend. That being said the employees are all SUPER helpful and welcoming and they had everything running as smoothly as possible- they could not have been more organized and on-top of everything throughout the grounds.
Above you can see the actual silos and signage- right underneath this is where they had the stage set up for the nightly events and concert. One of the highlights of the program was hearing Chip and Joanna speak. They are both just as down to earth as they appear on TV and also spoke on keeping their focus on their faith and family before all else. They explained how even though they are constantly getting asked to do appearances and opportunities across the country (like most celebrities do), they end up turning most of them down so that they can maintain a somewhat normal life with their family. Let's be honest, in today's world that is pretty rare and it is something I respect and admire so much.
They also shared that their next goal is to actually renovate these silos- one will be "Chip's Corner" which will be set up like an old-fashioned general store with tools, paint, and all his favorite items. The other is going to be a little restaurant/diner- serving breakfast and lunch! Knowing Chip and Joanna, I'm sure that they will have both of these projects underway before we know it and they will fit in just perfectly!
Above is the gorgeous Magnolia gardens and the Seed + Supply shop. This is just the cutest little garden shop filled with pots, seeds, hanging planters, and more! One of my favorite things about Joanna is that she loves using plants and flowers in all her decor as much as I do! This little area is so beautifully maintained and I noticed new little details every time I went back. They even had the back part of the garden set up as a pumpkin patch for the fall!
I could hardly deal with all the beautiful planters and window boxes across the entire grounds-everything was perfectly styled and cared for too! There were added planters and boxes like the ones shown above and also older metal tubs and pieces of the silo architecture that they used to plant in as well.
Besides the Magnolia market, we spent the rest of our time exploring Waco and the surrounding areas. We spent one day just driving around and scouting out spots seen on Fixer Upper- Harp Design Co., several of the houses that Chip and Joanna renovated (many are for rent on Air B+B so you can find the approximate addresses on there), and some of Joanna's favorite shops. One of my favorite shops was the Findery (a block from the silos)- a two-story shop with clothes, accessories, and mostly home decor in the same style as Magnolia Market. I also LOVED the Spice Village- which is unlike anything I had ever shopped at before, think Peddler Mall meets southern boutique. It is set up like a Peddler Mall with over 80 (yes a ton!) different booths, but you would never know it! Each booth is like its own little boutique yet they all flow together easily like one store. There's everything from clothes, shoes, jewelry, candles, vintage items, home decor, and furniture and all the items are well displayed and handpicked. Below is a little map I used to find many of the places that Joanna and Chip recommend.
Cafe Homestead is one of the places we went for dinner and I would definitely recommend this little hidden gem. It is a little bit out of town but not a bad drive at all! Everything they serve is grown on their farm and all organic. The restaurant is just one part of the "Homestead Heritage" community which is an agrarian and craft-based Christian community in Waco, TX. They also have a market, tours, and have demonstrations throughout the day at this location.
Overall this trip was a dream come true for me- I loved getting to see in person all of the places I had seen on TV so many times and explore Waco and the surrounding towns. Chip and Joanna have really created something so special and unique, and you can really feel the love they have put into every inch of this place. As a whole their entire concept is reminiscent of a simpler time which I think we are all naturally drawn to and appreciate. I already can't wait to go back and came away from the entire weekend completely inspired and encouraged by Chip and Joanna. Now if I could just find some Silos to renovate here in Kentucky, the Miss Molly Vintage Market could become a reality!
xoxo
Emily
