I've always wanted to visit Magnolia - it's been hanging out on my bucket list since they opened in 2015. So when we were presented with the opportunity this past Spring to bring Little Adi + Co. to their Spring at the Silos celebration, I didn't have to think much about it. Yes, yes and oh, hell yes!
In early March, we packed up the truck, two kids, one dog and all of my inventory to drive 17 hours across the country to Waco, Texas. We knew traveling with a bunch of toddlers was going to be challenging so we broke up the drive into 3-day intervals, stopping first in Tuscaloosa, AL, second in Tyler, TX and finally reaching our destination in Waco the day before the event. I can gladly report that we all made it in one piece and actually had a blast road-tripping our way to the Silos. Breaking it up was an excellent idea, since the kids reached their limits both nights about 7 hours in. Who could blame them? We also got to get out for dinner and to see some of the local sights, which made it a lot less painful.
As soon as we arrived in Waco though, it was time to get to work. No matter how much I prepare for events like this, I still end up sweating my butt off and almost crying during set-up. It took me all day, but I finally got it all together for my very first market at Magnolia and following just a few short hours later, Joanna Gaines herself was my very first customer. Talk about pinch me. I had a lot of friends and family ask me how she was in person and I'll tell you the same thing I told all of them - She is everything you'd hope she'd be. She's genuine, down to earth, really funny, and yes, she even girl-talked about Chip. After seeing the empire they've built with Magnolia, all I can say is the woman is a genius. Everything in building their brand was done impeccably. Annd, if you're wondering if she took anything home from our booth, well, eeeek, she did! I was so flattered and fan-girling it for a hot second that she actually loved quite a few pieces for not only herself, her kids, but also as gifts. I mean, Joanna Gaines was a customer, you guys.... it doesn't get much better than that!
The friends and family night to kick off the weekend was full of Joanna's friends, family (her mama is the sweetest!), and of course HGTV producers, their families, security, film crew, and lights. Lots of lights! ;) I think at this point she's pretty familiar with her every move being filmed, but it was fun for little ol' me to watch a giant spotlight follow her everywhere. Where's Joanna? Just follow the light. And if I haven't mentioned yet, her hair is ah-mazing. #hairgoals
The next 3 days were a whirlwind. Magnolia had warned us prior to attending that they were expecting to break their record of 50,000 people over the course of the weekend. In the end, I think we ended up finding out that they broke their 50k record in just one day. There were so many people. The line for the bakery was already an hour long when we opened our booths at 7:45am in the morning. The cupcakes were definitely good! I don't know about that wait though... We were lucky to enjoy some benefits of being guest of Magnolia for our time there, the most beneficial one being able to skip the lines.
{photo credit: Magnolia}
The Magnolia "campus" as I like to think of it, is a great way to spend a day. The lawns were where my kids spent most of their times and they had a blast with all of the lawn toys and games going on. It was a really social atmosphere and was a great way to meet new friends. The playlist being played throughout was totally on-point and there were even some live musicians that got on stage throughout the weekend. The food trucks were amazing and had so many options for quick bites, our favorite being the Alabama Sweet Tea.
{photo credit: Magnolia}
If you're planning a trip, or just thinking about it, I'd say it's definitely a must-see. I think road-tripping even made the experience that much better. Some tips:
- Get there early. Magnolia opens at 8am (Bakery at 7am) and lines start to get long as you creep towards noon. Waco is also a pretty warm place, so avoiding that afternoon sun is critical.
- If you can plan a trip around their "silobration" events, do it. If you're not a fan of crowds or a lot of people, maybe try to avoid it.
- The very first thing you should do is the Bakery, the second the Market. Everything else is pretty chill for the most part, so you can relax and enjoy the grounds after you got those two must-sees out of the way.
- Parking can get crazy, so when you see a spot, grab it and know that you can take the free trolley that operates around the city, that also makes stops right at the Silos.
- If you're feigning for a cupcake, but not up for the wait, head straight back through the lawn to the Bakery's Air Stream. They serve quick cupcakes without the lines.
- The lawn is the ultimate hang out. Grab a striped seat while you can or even better, a swing.
- To be a vendor at Magnolia, it's through invite-only. We were lucky enough to receive an email from their staff, but I know others were able to secure spots by reaching out directly through social media. It's like getting the golden ticket, if you see it, GRAB it!
{photo credit: Magnolia}
I simply couldn't fit everything in one post so in part 2, I'll be digging a little bit deeper into the "behind the scenes" of the event and grounds. There will be a ton more photos, so check back on Friday for more!
I'd love to know if any of you are planning a trip to Magnolia this summer! What's one thing you can't wait to do there? What's on your shopping list?
Xx,
