DOWNTOWN WACO, TX — Spring at the Silos has begun.
The event kicked off on Thursday, bringing people near and far to Waco to hear wisdom and get some retail therapy from "Fixer-upper" stars Chip and Joanna Gaines.
Even folks who couldn't get into some of the ticketed events call their trip to Texas, well worth it.
As Joanna Gaines' big book premiere unfolded at the Magnolia Marketplace, Kari Gates and Marc Arigo settled for a perch across the street.
"Well, it would be nice to get a closer look at Chip & Joanna, but this is still a very good view," said Gates, from Minnesota.
As the star of "Fixer-upper" imparted wisdom on life and family, folks listened with rapt attention.
The day began with a market place of hand-picked vendors and food trucks along Webster, and other streets and crowds of lookers and buyers, drawn to the spectacle of it all.
”It's the atmosphere. It's all right here together and you don't have to go from place to place,” said Vickie Hart, of Houston.
Whatever you wanted, you didn't have to go far to find it.
As much money as the Silos brings in, there is a definite spillover effect to nearby businesses like The Findery.
This store features merchandise very much like the Magnolia Market and gets a big business bump during Silobration in the fall and Silos in the Spring.
”Oh gosh, I'd say at least 50 to 60 percent we have such an influence from Magnolia events with the Gardeners on Thursday and the Homecoming on Friday, so you get much more traffic,” said Alison Sorley, of the Findery.
And with entertainment like these adorable young ladies called "Sister Smith," crowds kept coming in.
Meanwhile, the world according to the Gaines kept drawing more and more fans.
”It's great that she wrote a book and she's doing all that with a family and it's just very encouraging,” said Gates.
Encouragement that a life well-lived brings all kinds of rewards.
Springtime at the Silos continues through Saturday evening.
