Good morning, Cookeville.

Easter weekend is four days out, and spring is very much in session. This week is a good one: a poet reading at PLENTY on Monday, a couple of ribbon cuttings mid-week, and the Chamber's annual candidate luncheon on Thursday. Nothing Bundt Cakes just q uietly opened over on W. Jackson, which is worth knowing about. And two weeks from now, the Firefly Festival takes over Dogwood Park for the weekend — free admission, original music, handmade art, and the kind of event that makes Cookeville feel like itself. Full preview below.

Let's get to it.

— The Cookeville Scoop Team

Featured Poet: Didi Jackson at PLENTY Downtown Bookshop — Monday, April 6 — PLENTY's monthly featured poet series continues this Monday at 7:00 PM with Didi Jackson, a nationally recognized poet. If you haven't been to one of these readings yet, PLENTY is a genuinely great bookshop in the heart of downtown — the kind of place worth browsing before the event starts. Check with PLENTY directly for admission details. visitcookevilletn.com

Ribbon Cutting: Grade-A Catering — Tuesday, April 7 — The Chamber officially welcomes Grade-A Catering to Cookeville with a ribbon cutting this Tuesday. A new catering option in town is worth knowing about for events, office lunches, or anything else that calls for good food brought to you. Time and address at the Chamber's events page. Free to attend.

Ribbon Cutting: Nothing Bundt Cakes — Wednesday, April 8 — Nothing Bundt Cakes opened its Cookeville location at 377 W. Jackson Street in late March and celebrates officially with a Chamber ribbon cutting this Wednesday. It's a good excuse to swing by, meet the team, and get a feel for the space — and if you leave with a bundtlet in hand, that's a perfectly reasonable outcome. Time TBD — check the Chamber page. Free to attend.

Signature Luncheon: Meet the County Candidates 2026 — Thursday, April 9 — The Chamber's annual signature luncheon is one of the best ways to hear directly from the people on your Putnam County ballot before the election cycle gets louder. If civic engagement is your thing — or even if you're just curious who's running — this is the event worth showing up to. Details and registration at the Chamber's events page.

Nothing Bundt Cakes is now open at 377 W. Jackson Street in Cookeville. The national bakery chain is known for its signature bundtlet cakes — moist, dense, topped with a generous swirl of cream cheese frosting — in flavors that rotate seasonally. Whether you're looking for a birthday treat, a hostess gift, or just something to bring to the office, it's a solid new addition to the neighborhood. Ribbon cutting is Wednesday, April 8, if you want to go with a little fanfare. Reach them at 615-405-9395 or nothingbundtcakes.com.

Drake's offers one of the more unusual combinations in Cookeville — craft beers on tap alongside a full sushi menu and big burgers, all under one roof. Happy hour runs twice daily on weekdays: 3–6 PM and again 9–11 PM. The rotating monthly burger and sushi specials are worth checking. It's a solid Tuesday-through-Friday option when you want something a little different. Drake's is at 1010 S Walnut Ave — drakescomeplay.com for the current menu.

Mark April 11 and 12 on the calendar now. Hip Cookeville's Firefly Festival is back at Dogwood Park for its fourth year, and it's the kind of event worth showing up for on both days.

Here's what sets Firefly apart: every musician performing plays their own original work. No cover bands, no tribute acts — these are artists sharing music they actually wrote, from soulful acoustic sets to high-energy performances that'll get you moving. Same principle applies to the vendor market. Every booth is handmade goods only — pottery, jewelry, textiles, woodwork, clothing — sourced directly from the makers. If it's manufactured, it doesn't belong here.

Beyond the music and market, the festival includes hands-on workshops you can actually participate in: metal forging, mural painting, candle-dipping. There's a dedicated kids area designed for curiosity and play, not just passive watching. Local food trucks will be on-site along with handcrafted coffee and fresh-squeezed lemonade. And this is all happening at Dogwood Park — a beautiful spot in the Historic WestSide that's walking distance from downtown shops and restaurants, so it's easy to build a full day around it.

This is Hip Cookeville's flagship event, and four years in, it's become something genuine — a showcase for the Upper Cumberland's creative community that happens to be completely free and accessible to everyone. Artists and makers who are building real careers here show up, and so does the town. That combination doesn't happen by accident, and it's worth appreciating.

Free admission, both days. No registration required. Dogwood Park, Cookeville. April 11–12. Full lineup and vendor information at hipcookeville.com/fireflyfestival.

Easter Bunny at Baxter Branch Library — Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 1, 3:00–5:00 PM. The Easter Bunny is making an appearance at the Baxter Branch Library this Wednesday afternoon. Bring the kids and the camera — there's a springtime photo backdrop set up, plus crafts and prizes. Low-key, sweet, and a nice mid-week stop before the long Easter weekend. Free. pclibrary.org

Twice Told Tales Book Sale at the Cookeville Branch Library — Saturday, April 4, 10:00 AM–1:00 PM, 50 E Broad St. The Friends of the Library's monthly used book sale is this Saturday morning. Most items run $0.50–$3.00, which is genuinely hard to beat. A great excuse to drop in, browse the stacks, and walk out with a pile of reading for less than a cup of coffee. Free to browse; items $0.50–$3.00. pclibrary.org

Hillbilly Casino at Mean Mel's — Saturday, April 4. Live music this Saturday at Mean Mel's. [VERIFY: confirm start time and cover before publishing.] Worth checking before the weekend if you're looking for a Saturday night out. Updates at Mean Mel's social pages.

Middle Tennessee Food Truck & Arts Festival at the Putnam County Fairgrounds — Saturday, April 11. Food trucks and arts vendors at the Fairgrounds the same day as the Firefly Festival opener — if you're spending April 11 in Cookeville (and you should be), there's plenty to fill it. [VERIFY: confirm hours and admission before publishing.]

History Hikes: Downtown Cookeville — Saturday, April 11, 10:30 AM–2:30 PM, between the Cookeville Depot Museum and Cookeville History Museum on Broad Street. The second-Saturday history walk series kicks off for the season. Start at either museum, walk between the two, and explore downtown Cookeville's history at your own pace. Complete the route and you're entered into a prize drawing. A nice way to warm up before an afternoon at the Firefly Festival. Free. Drop in anytime during the window. cookeville-tn.gov

If you know someone who'd enjoy a heads-up on what's happening in Cookeville, share this newsletter with them — we'd love to grow the community of people paying attention to all the good stuff going on here. Have an event or tip for next week? Reply to this email and we'll take a look.

Thanks for being here with us, Cookeville. It's a great time to be in this community, and we're glad you're reading. Enjoy Easter weekend, and we'll see you on the other side of it. 🧡

— The Cookeville Scoop Team