The Latest News from Foster Events

Critically acclaimed indie rock/folk band Mt. Joy is headed to Waco, Texas, for Silobration, presented by Magnolia with Baylor University, Thursday, Oct. 22, at Foster Pavilion.

To allow fans to enjoy the World Cup final, the concert by La Fiera de Ojinaga & Los Pescadores del Río Conchos has been rescheduled from July 19 to April 11, 2027, at Foster Pavilion.

El concierto reprogramado en el Foster Pavilion, a cargo de artistas de música norteña que encabezan las listas de éxitos, permitirá a los aficionados disfrutar de la final de la Copa Mundial de 2026.

The low hum of steel guitars and neon-lit nostalgia will soon echo through Foster Pavilion. On Oct. 2, Baylor will trade sneakers and basketballs for cowboy boots and two-stepping when rising country artist Braxton Keith brings his high-and-lonesome Texas sound to Waco with the “Real Damn Deal” tour.

With Willie Nelson’s long-awaited return to Baylor University, Waco continues to hit a high note — and the momentum is only building. 

Last Thursday night was a memory decades in the making, as Willie Nelson returned to his alma mater and took the stage at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark.

Almost 75 years after he attended Baylor, the legendary country artist — at age 93 — performed for nearly an hour and a half on a picture-perfect evening. The sold-out crowd of more than 6,000 spanned virtually every age, from kids and college students on up — all brought together by a historic night.

Country music's next big star Braxton Keith will bring his throwback 90’s twang to the stage on Friday, Oct. 2, at Baylor’s Foster Pavilion.

Willie Nelson will play a concert at Baylor University on May 14, with thousands of fans expected to attend.

Willie Nelson is set to headline the first-ever concert at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark on May 14

One of mainstream country music’s most popular live groups, Old Dominion is headed to Baylor University’s Foster Pavilion for an electrifying show on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026.

Fans will pack Baylor University venues for two officially SOLD-OUT concerts, featuring fast-rising Texas country music star Hudson Westbrook, followed by THE legendary Texas musician Willie Nelson.

In just one year, Baylor has gone from hosting no major concerts to offering a full slate of live music and entertainment events, placing both Baylor and the City of Waco on the radar of national touring artists.

On March 9, 1954, Baylor University admitted a student from a small town near Waco — just in time to start the spring term. His name was Willie Nelson.

Now, some 72 years later, the University is welcoming Willie back to campus to celebrate his Baylor ties and his legendary career in music and public service. Highlighting the reunion will be an outdoor concert by Willie Nelson & Family on Thursday, May 14, at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark, just a few weeks after his 93rd birthday.

Legendary Texas country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson will perform in concert May 14 at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark.

Legendary Texas country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson is coming home to his alma mater on Thursday, May 14, for an outdoor “Willie Nelson & Family” concert at Magnolia Field at Baylor Ballpark.

Rising artist Tyce Delk will open for Texas country sensation Hudson Westbook in concert Friday, April 24, 2026, at Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas.

KWTX's Lauren Westbrook sits down with Harlem Globetrotter Fatima "TNT" Lister to celebrate a century of iconic basketball. From breaking barriers to dazzling fans worldwide, the Globetrotters have a rich history. Fatima shares her journey, the excitement of "The 100 Year Tour," and what fans can expect when they bring their super-human skills to Waco this Saturday!

CANCELED BY LIVE NATION Get ready for Post Malone and Jelly Roll Present: The BIG Stadium Tour Part 2, coming to Baylor University’s McLane Stadium on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Waco, Texas!

It’s hard to believe that Foster Pavilion only just hosted its first public concert last April — just nine months ago — and yet, such events at Foster (and elsewhere) now feel like a regular part of campus life.

Let’s take a look back at some of 2025’s headlining concerts on Baylor’s campus — and then ahead at what’s in store for 2026:

As students return to Baylor’s campus for the spring semester, the university’s calendar is packed with an array of events that bring the campus together. Whether you’re into student-led performances, big-name shows or cultural moments, here’s a semester’s worth of events to mark on your calendar.

Chart-topping artists La Fiera de Ojinaga and Los Pescadores del Río Conchos are headed this summer to Foster Pavilion, Waco’s premier concert venue, for a spectacular show on Sunday, July 19, at 6 p.m.

Los artistas La Fiera de Ojinaga y Los Pescadores del Río Conchos, que encabezan las listas de éxitos, se dirigen este verano al Foster Pavilion, la principal sala de conciertos de Waco para un espectáculo espectacular por la tarde el domingo 19 de julio a las 6 p.m.

Don't miss the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters™ during their 100 Year Tour playing Saturday, Feb. 14, at Baylor's Foster Pavilion! Tickets are on sale now.

Baylor has ushered in a new era of live entertainment in Waco with the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion hosting an impressive lineup of artists and entertainers.

Baylor announced Tuesday evening that comedian John Crist will perform at Waco Hall at 7 p.m. on April 19, bringing jokes and laughter to campus through a comedy show.

John Crist, one of today’s fastest-rising stand-up comedians, will bring his “John Crist Live Tour” to Waco Hall on the Baylor University campus on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at 7 p.m.

In April, red dirt country star Hudson Westbrook will perform at Foster Pavilion as a part of his “Texas Forever” tour.

Fast-rising Texas country music star Hudson Westbrook, whose new album Texas Forever features hit songs like “House Again” and “Sober,” is coming to Baylor's Foster Pavilion Friday, April 24, 2026.

Foster Pavilion was filled with the sounds of whining guitars, feisty fiddles, cowboy boot stomping and raucous cheers for Tucker Wetmore’s first arena performance at Foster Pavilion Thursday.

One of the fastest rising country music stars whose unexpected path to playing music included a stint playing college football and a move to Nashville ‘on a whim’ will be headlining a concert at Waco’s Foster Pavillion Thursday.

Country fans across Baylor’s campus are counting down the days until Tucker Wetmore takes the stage at Foster Pavilion on Thursday.

Country singer Tucker Wetmore moved to Nashville only five years ago and already his walls and shelves are filling up with awards.  No. 1 country hit? Check. “Wind Up Missin’ You.” Streaming success? Check. More than 1.2 billion streams to date, buoyed by his 2024 EP "Waves on a Sunset" and the album "What Not To" released this year. His singles "Wine Into Whiskey" and "Wind Up Missin' You" made Billboard's Hot 100.

Dressed in a black suit coat and a brand-new Baylor shirt purchased at the bookstore earlier in the day, Baylor alumnus Jeff Dunham delivered a personalized homage to his time at the university in his first performance on campus in almost 40 years, Friday night at Foster Pavilion.

Bodies clad in gingham, florals and flouncy puffed-sleeve dresses packed in tight against the metal barrier, as if herded into place, in front of a low-lit stage sat between the Hurd and Dutton Parking Garage leading up to Ty Myers’s anticipated Baylor performance on Friday.

Baylor has always been about family — so it was a joy to welcome thousands of BU parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings and more to campus this past weekend for Family Weekend 2025.

From the “Meet the Faculty” Welcome Hour on Friday afternoon, through the Lauren Daigle concert that night, and on to Baylor Football’s victory Saturday, the weekend was a joyful celebration of our extended Baylor Family.

The Big 12 Fall Tour stops at Saturday's Baylor-Arizona State game at McLane Stadium, featuring a free tailgate concert with the Graham St. Clair Band at 4:30 p.m. at Touchdown Alley.

Flowing pink silk chiffon skirts, green ruffled tops and denim jeans adorned the attendees flowing into Foster Pavilion for the Lauren Daigle concert. Here, Daigle shared the spotlight with her band to lead symphonic worship and bring a message of praise and hope to Family Weekend — in the form of song.

Celebrating Family Weekend with a Lauren Daigle concert at Foster Pavilion! 

"Let it be a hallelujah
All my life, a hallelujah
Let it be a hallelujah to You, God" 

Since 1982, the Beall-Russell Lecture in the Humanities series in the College of Arts & Sciences, founded by the late Virginia Beall Ball, B.A. ’40, has welcomed some of the leading intellectuals of varied professions from around the world to Baylor’s campus.

Lauren Daigle’s Sept. 12 concert at Baylor University’s Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion is officially sold out, creating a wave of momentum for A-list entertainment set for this fall.

On a blissfully sunny evening, the air loomed with anticipation. Turnpike Troubadours and Cross Canadian Ragweed headlined “The Boys From Oklahoma” concert Saturday at McLane Stadium.

This weekend, Baylor will welcome nearly 40,000 country music fans to our home city of Waco for The Boys from Oklahoma Texas Encore.

This special McLane Stadium concert will feature country music stars Cross Canadian Ragweed and Turnpike Troubadours, as well as special guests Shane Smith and the Saints, Waco’s own Wade Bowen, and American Aquarium.

Tucker Wetmore, whose hit songs “3,2,1” and “Wind Up Missin’ You” have topped radio airwaves, will headline his first arena show at Foster Pavilion, Waco’s new premier concert venue, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23.

Ty Myers will headline Howdy at the Hurd, hosted by Pi Beta Phi and Baylor University, a free students-only event on Friday, Sept. 19, outside the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center.

For world-class concerts and entertainment, Baylor University and the City of Waco are establishing the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion and Waco, Texas, as the premiere mid-market experience.

Baylor University is thrilled to welcome back rising music sensation Forrest Frank with an exclusive pop-up shop experience from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, May 12, at Hurd Welcome Center. 

Legendary comedian Jeff Dunham will bring his new North American Tour ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE to the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion, Waco’s new premier concert venue, at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3.

Two takeaways from the Forrest Frank concert, the first public concert in Foster Pavilion:

1) If you get a chance to see Forrest Frank live, GO.
2) If you get a chance to see a concert at Foster Pavilion, GO.

An incredible night at Foster Pavilion. GRAMMY nominee (and Baylor alum) Forrest Frank performed an electric show before a packed house as Baylor's new arena hosted its first-ever public concert Tuesday evening.

In cities like Dallas, Houston and Austin, the economics of a nice night out can get overwhelming. Dinner costs, concert ticket prices, and parking fees all add up in a hurry. Waco residents (including Baylor students) then have to add over two hours of travel (and perhaps a pricey hotel stay) to the cost, making the expense of such a night on the town approach the price of a vacation.

Those days are now over.

With Foster Pavilion now serving as a live event venue, Baylor Bears (and other Central Texans) can now enjoy a proper night on the town with far fewer impediments and a much shorter time commitment.

If you don’t already know who this rising Christian pop star is, you’re about to. Allow me to present: Claire Leslie.

Lauren Daigle, multi-award-winning country music singer, is set to perform in concert at Baylor University’s Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12.

On April 22, Baylor’s Foster Pavilion will host its first public concert event, featuring GRAMMY-nominated Baylor alum Forrest Frank (BBA ’17) — but Frank technically won’t be the first artist on the Foster stage that night.

That honor will go to Claire Leslie, a 23-year-old performer from San Antonio, who will perform as the concert’s opening act. In her day job, Leslie leads worship at Max Lucado’s Oak Hills Church, as she finds her way as an up-and-coming Christian singer-songwriter.

Before he was topping the charts as a GRAMMY-nominee, winning two Dove Awards, and achieving massive success for his 2024 national tour, Forrest Frank (BBA ’17) was a typical student leaning into his Baylor experience.

From participating in All University Sing to donning a suit and tie for the professional sales program in Hankamer School of Business, Frank embraced his experience and thrived at Baylor.

Jarrell McCracken’s innovative fusion of faith and storytelling launched Word Records, shaping the contemporary Christian music industry and leaving a lasting legacy.

Following the massive success of his 2024 national tour, GRAMMY-nominee and double Dove Award-winning artist Forrest Frank will bring his 2025 Child Of God Tour Part 2 to Baylor University’s Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 22. 

Country music stars Cross Canadian Ragweed and Turnpike Troubadours will co-headline a live show at McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas, on Saturday, Aug. 23.

It’s been quite a year for Forrest Frank (BBA ’17):

• Hit No. 1 on iTunes worldwide chart (for all genres)
• Five of iTunes’ top 100 Christian songs for 2024
• Chosen as the soundtrack for Baylor’s 2024-25 commercial (our favorite honor, obviously)

Now, the Baylor grad has been recognized yet again, having won the 2024 Dove Award for New Artist of the Year!

One might recognize Forrest Frank, B.B.A. ’17, from his hit band Surfaces, which has dropped several iconic pop songs over the last few years. Their songs charted on Billboard’s “Hot 100” in the U.S. and nine other countries.

A new school year and a new football season present a new opportunity to share what Baylor is all about. Baylor’s 2024-25 university commercial will debut on television during Baylor football’s season opener Saturday, but BU social media shared the spot earlier today.

The 30-second spot features breakout Christian music singer/songwriter (and 2017 Baylor graduate) Forrest Frank, whose music you’ve likely heard on Christian radio and/or TikTok. The commercial pairs one of Frank’s original songs, “Never Get Used To This,” with shots featuring the vibrancy and joy of the Baylor student experience.

Baylor University officially launched its new institutional television commercial for 2024-2025, which showcases the authentic Baylor experience and supports one of the University’s fastest-rising graduates in the entertainment industry.

You might recognize Forrest Frank (BBA ’17) from his hit band Surfaces, which has dropped several iconic pop songs over the last few years. Their songs charted on Billboard’s “Hot 100” in the U.S. and nine other countries.

Or, you might recognize Frank from your favorite Christian radio station. His debut Christian album, Child of God, hit No. 1 worldwide on the iTunes charts last week — not just for worship, but across all genres.