Good morning, Cookeville.

Happy Good Friday. Spring is in full swing — the fountain at Dogwood Park is on, the Westside is buzzing, and this weekend has some genuinely good stuff lined up for families. In today's Scoop: a full preview of the Firefly Festival (one week from tomorrow!), a new restaurant downtown worth knowing about, an Easter egg hunt happening tonight at Cane Creek, and a Saturday packed with things to do. Let's get into it.

-- The Cookeville Scoop Team

Free Webinar for New Businesses — If you're thinking about starting something or just launched something new, the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a free webinar for new businesses on Wednesday, April 8. Exact time isn't posted yet — head to cookevillechamber.com/events to check for updates and register. Good resource if entrepreneurship is on your mind this spring.

Quick reminder — VIOLET SHOW at the Cookeville PAC — The spring dance performance is this Thursday, April 9 at 6:30 PM at the Performing Arts Center. If you've been meaning to grab tickets, now's the time. Call the CPAC box office at 931-528-1313 (Monday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM) or check cookeville-tn.gov/cpac for details.

Savor Cookeville is open on the Westside, and if you haven't made it over yet, it's worth the trip. The restaurant — which grew out of the beloved Seven Senses — is now serving a broader Southern American menu with Creole, Southwestern, and Asian threads woven through it. Think comfort-food-done-well with some unexpected flavor combinations. They're at 35 W. Broad St. in the Historic West Side District, open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner, with outdoor patio seating that's perfect this time of year. savorcookeville.com

In-N-Out update — We keep getting asked, so here's where things stand: Cookeville's In-N-Out Burger is coming, just not yet. The location will be part of The Willows shopping center, which is currently projected to open in October 2026. Franklin's location opened in February, so the chain is clearly making its way east. More to come as we hear it.

Next Saturday, April 11 (and Sunday, April 12), Dogwood Park becomes something a little different for the weekend. The 4th Annual Firefly Festival takes over the Historic West Side District starting at 10 AM each day — and if you've never been, this is the one to put on the calendar.

What makes Firefly stand out from your average spring festival is the emphasis on original work. The musicians you'll hear are performing their own music — not covers, not tribute acts — and the artists and makers at the booths have designed and made everything they're selling. It gives the whole event a different energy. You're not just browsing a craft fair; you're seeing what's actually being created in this community.

The setup spans multiple outdoor stages, with live performances running throughout both days. In between sets, there's a dedicated kids area designed for exploration and play, immersive art installations scattered throughout the grounds, and food vendors to keep everyone fueled. Admission is completely free — no tickets, no wristbands, just show up.

Hip Cookeville, the local arts organization behind the festival, has been building this into one of the Upper Cumberland's genuinely beloved spring traditions. The combination of free admission, great weather (hopefully), local talent, and that West Side atmosphere tends to draw a real cross-section of Cookeville — families with strollers, couples, groups of friends, people who live downtown and wander over.

A couple practical notes: parking fills up on the street, so coming earlier in the day gives you more options. Bring cash if you're planning to support any of the makers. And the kids area is thoughtfully designed — not an afterthought — so little ones have plenty to engage with while the adults browse.

See you there next weekend.

Lite Rock 95.9 Easter Egg Hunt at Cane Creek Sports Plex — Tonight, Friday, April 3 at 5:30 PM. Presented by Mountain Barn Builders, this one's candy, prizes, and surprises. Good timing for families looking for a Good Friday evening activity. Free. Head to Cane Creek Sports Plex — check allevents.in/cookeville for any updates.

Cookeville Sports Cards & Pokemon Show at Avery Trace Middle School — Saturday, April 4, 8:00 AM–2:00 PM. With 60 dealers and 100 tables, this is a serious show — great for collectors of any age. Card hunting makes for a surprisingly fun Saturday morning with older kids who are into that kind of thing. Free admission to browse and shop. visitcookevilletn.com

Hillbilly Casino at Mean Mel's — Saturday, April 4. The band plays a honky-tonk, rockabilly, and American blues mix — think Johnny Cash and Chuck Berry filtered through a punk rock attitude. It's a good time. Check Mean Mel's directly for showtime and any cover charge details.

Putnam County Library Twice Told Tales Book Sale — Saturday, April 4, 10:00 AM–1:00 PM. Most items run $0.50–$3.00, so bring a few dollars and a bag. The library sales consistently have good finds across genres. pclibrary.org

Picture Book Putt-Putt at the Putnam County Library — Monday, April 6, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM. Kids ages 5–12 can check in at the Children's Desk for a putter, ball, and rules and play a round of library mini golf. Inspired by the Masters Tournament, which feels perfectly timed. Free. No registration needed — drop in anytime.

April Featured Poet: Didi Jackson at PLENTY Downtown Bookshop — Monday, April 6 at 7:00 PM. PLENTY's monthly featured poet series is a quiet gem of Cookeville's literary scene. April brings poet Didi Jackson to the bookshop floor at 41 W. Broad St. A nice way to ease into the post-Easter week. Check plentybookshop.com for any ticket or registration details.

Know something we don't? If you've got an event tip, a new opening, or something worth sharing with the Cookeville community, hit reply and let us know — that's genuinely how we find some of our best content. And if a neighbor or friend would enjoy the Scoop, forward this their way. It means a lot.

Thanks for reading, and happy Easter weekend, Cookeville. We hope it's a good one for your family — wherever the weekend takes you. We'll be back next week with a full Firefly Festival guide. 🧡

-- The Cookeville Scoop Team