Downtown might not be your typical campus but, if you know where to look, there are plenty of learning opportunities to be found. Some with a price, some free

Gather – This shop, featuring smart and stylish kitchen and home goods, has also become a gathering place for a variety of purposes, which seems only appropriate. It was part of owner Sarah Martin’s vision from the beginning to hold classes and workshops at Gather and so far the store has hosted everything from a watercolor class to a healthy eating workshop. Follow Gather to keep up with classes to come.

Cultivate 7twelve – This art gallery/studio is a bit of a renaissance space, hosting everything from regular yoga classes to art talks and classes to film screenings and community meetings. Some events have a cost and some don’t. Follow Cultivate to see what’s on their calendar.

1 Million Cups – 1 Million Cups is a regular weekly meeting at the Waco Hippodrome featuring speakers talking about their business and journey as entrepreneurs. The meetings are open to the public, free and include free coffee, which is a definite plus.

Dichotomy – The popular coffee and spirits bar has started a series of First Friday classes, Dichotomy University: A Guide to Spirits

These are just a few of the venues that are hosting regular learning opportunities but as more people want to bring teir interests downtown, I’d look for more venues to start hosting all sorts of meetings and workshops. DINE, SHOP, PLAY … and LEARN in Downtown Waco.