Good morning, Cookeville.

Memorial Day's behind us, kids are wrapping up the school year, and we're in the first normal weekend of summer. The biggest story is up the road: the SteelDrivers, Chris Stapleton's old band, are headlining Live in Livingston Saturday night for $10 (yes, ten dollars, that's not a typo). Closer to home, Saturday stacks a free MomCo Summer Kick Off in the morning, a free Ice Cream Social at the Depot Museum after lunch, a metalsmithing workshop at Edison Hills, and a murder mystery fundraiser in the evening. Heads up on the forecast: Saturday is the wet one, with about a 66% chance of rain.

In today's Cookeville Scoop:

Let's get into it.

Tracks & Racks Pool Tournament at Roasted Hemp Co. Thursday, May 28 in the evening at Roasted Hemp Co. (1068 E 10th Street, Suite F). Bracketed pool tournament with a $10 buy-in. Winner takes home a McDermott GS05 cue, which retails around $365. Not a lot of local tournaments pay out cues like that. Check the venue page for exact start time. roastedhempcookeville.com.

Sterling Silver Stacker Rings Workshop with Brie Flora. Saturday, May 30 from 10 AM to 2 PM (lunch break included) at Edison Hills (127 W. Broad Street). Beginner-friendly metalsmithing class with hand-held torches, hammers, wire snippers, and pliers. You walk out with five to eight sterling silver stacker rings you made yourself. All materials and tools included in the $250 price. Register at edisonhills.com.

The Cursed Coven: Murder Mystery Fundraiser. Saturday, May 30 from 5 to 8 PM at 809 W Jackson Street. A witch-themed interactive murder mystery night with a catered pasta bar from Right Choice Catering. Three hours of puzzling out whodunit while you eat. $35 per person, fundraiser format. Tickets via AllEvents.

The Putnam Room Sunday Social: Wine and Unlimited Tapas. Sunday, May 31 with reservations between 4 and 7:30 PM at The Putnam Room (319 East Spring Street). A guided evening through wines from around the world paired with unlimited small plates from the kitchen. $75 per person, food and wine included. The Putnam Room is normally closed Sundays, so this is a one-off opening. Book at tmt.spotapps.co/reservations or call 931-644-3722.

Crawdaddy's daily themed drink lineup, Thursday through Sunday. Crawdaddy's runs a different drink theme each night. Thursday is $5 bourbons from a long bourbon list. Friday is Blue's Pink Flamingo. Saturday brings made-to-order Long Island Teas. Sunday brunch starts at 10:30 AM with mimosas, Bellinis, and Zing Zang Bloody Marys, with red and white Moscato sangrias rolling in for the evening. Easiest "I don't know what to do tonight" answer downtown. 53 W Broad Street. crawdaddysgrill.com.

The Putnam Room: weekday happy hour and Saturday late-night. Tuesday through Friday happy hour runs 3 to 5 PM, and the newer Saturday late-night window runs 8 to 10 PM. The Saturday late hour is the standout: most Cookeville happy hours wrap by 6, so an 8-to-10 PM seat downtown with snacks is genuinely useful for the after-dinner crowd. 319 E Spring Street on the Historic Square. theputnamroom.com.

Irrationale Kitchen + Taps: Friday happy hour (twice) and Sunday brunch. Friday's happy hour at Irrationale runs in two windows, 2 to 4 PM and 8 to close, with $3 select drafts, $6 well spirits, $5 house wine, and half-price select appetizers. Sunday brunch runs 10:30 AM to 3 PM. Irrationale is the only late-night happy hour in town with an 8-to-close window, so that's the move if you're going out later. irrationalekitchen.com.

About twenty-five minutes east of Cookeville on Highway 111, the Live in Livingston concert series brings real names to a small park for prices most families can actually afford. This Saturday, May 30, the SteelDrivers headline Livingston Central Park at 7:30 PM for a 90-minute Main Stage set, and tickets are $10 while they last.

For anyone who hasn't heard the name: the SteelDrivers are a Nashville bluegrass band with three Grammy wins and two more nominations. The connection most people recognize is Chris Stapleton, who was their lead singer before going solo. The voice you've heard on country radio for the last decade got its start in this band. The current lineup leans into the band's roots, soulful bluegrass with grit, blues and rock undertones, the kind of playing that fills a room.

The price is the story. The SteelDrivers play $40-60 theater tickets in other markets on this same tour. Live in Livingston is a community-subsidized series, presented by Mid-State Construction at Central Park (140 South Spring Street, Livingston). The whole point is bringing acts like this to a public park at a price families can say yes to.

Setup is simple: outdoor venue, Main Stage at Central Park, bring lawn chairs or a blanket, 7:30 PM start. Easy out-and-back drive from Cookeville on Hwy 111, about 25 minutes each way.

Now the honest part. Saturday is the wettest day in this week's forecast, around 66% chance of rain. Outdoor venue. We'd recommend checking the Live in Livingston Facebook page Saturday afternoon before you load up the car (in case they delay or call it). If the weather holds, this is the kind of show you'll be glad you drove for.

Tickets via Eventbrite.

Barry Mitchell presents Fossil Funhouse at the Cookeville Library. Thursday, May 28 from 10 to 11 AM at the Cookeville branch (50 E Broad Street). A children's variety show with Sam the Turtle, Hyena the Laughing Chicken, dinosaur stories, and primordial magic tricks. Mitchell's been doing these touring library shows forever, and they hold a room full of kids better than most things on a screen. Free.

Train Tales preschool storytime at the Depot Museum. Friday, May 29 at 10:30 AM at the Cookeville Depot Museum. Weekly Friday storytime for the preschool crowd (ages roughly 3 to 5), held inside the actual historic Depot. Stories about trains, engines, tracks, conductors, hobos, and Thomas the Tank Engine. Quiet recurring win, free, and the venue is half the appeal. Free. cookevilledepot.com/events.

Summer Kick Off 2026 with Cookeville MomCo. Saturday, May 30 from 10 AM to 2 PM at 360 S Old Kentucky Road. MomCo's open-to-the-public summer-arrival event with activities, treats, and a four-hour drop-in window for families with little ones. You don't have to be a MomCo member to come. Show up anytime between 10 and 2. Free.

Ice Cream Social Meet & Greet at the Depot Museum. Saturday, May 30 from 1 to 3 PM at the Historic Cookeville Depot Museum downtown. A two-hour drop-in social on the Depot grounds with ice cream, neighbors, and no agenda. Pairs naturally with MomCo Summer Kick Off in the morning if you're already out with the kids. Free.

Cookeville Farmers Market, peak Saturday. Saturday, May 30, 6 AM to 6 PM on Mahler Avenue (the covered building, not a tent setup). Open daily, but Saturday is when the most vendors show. Strawberries are in, plant starts, herbs, baked goods, honey, eggs. If you want to make a market morning of it, the Cookeville Green Market on Newman Drive also runs 8 AM to noon Saturday. Free to browse. cookeville-tn.gov/farmers-market.

Rest and Recover Yoga at Cane Creek. Sunday, May 31 from 2:30 to 3:45 PM at the Cane Creek Recreation Center (180 C C Camp Road). A gentle, beginner-friendly restorative yoga class hosted by City Leisure Services. The kind of slow class built for actually unwinding rather than getting a workout. Drop-in friendly, call 931-526-7393 for any pricing details.

If you know a Cookeville parent who'd like to know about MomCo Summer Kick Off or the Depot Ice Cream Social, forward this email. Have an event, opening, or story tip we missed? Reply directly or tag us on social. We read everything that comes in.

Thanks for being here with us, Cookeville. First real weekend of summer, a little rain on the schedule, and a Grammy-winning bluegrass band playing twenty-five minutes up the road for ten bucks. We'll take it. See you next time. 🧡

-- The Cookeville Scoop Team