Good morning, Cookeville.

It's the back half of Memorial Day weekend, with a short work week to follow. Two things are worth knowing right now: Cookeville just gained the largest splash pad in Tennessee at Cane Creek Park, opened just in time for the weekend, and the Cookeville Community Band plays its free Memorial Day Concert at the Dogwood Performance Pavilion Monday night at 7:30. Heads up on the forecast though, storms are back midweek for the third week running.

In today's Cookeville Scoop:

Let's get into it.

Cookeville Community Band Memorial Day Concert. Monday, May 25 from 7:30 to 9:30 PM at the Dogwood Performance Pavilion (10 E Broad Street). The Community Band opens its 2026 Summer Series with a free patriotic program for Memorial Day. The pavilion is covered but the lawn is not, so bring blankets or lawn chairs and an umbrella if the forecast holds. The Summer Series continues every other Monday all season. Free. Contact Rex Bennett at [email protected] for details.

A Place at the Table: Tennesseans Led the Way for American Democracy. Wednesday, May 27 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM at the Cookeville branch of the Putnam County Library. UCDD Public Historian Mark Dudney walks through the long struggle for American democracy through the experience of Tennessee residents. A serious hour with a real historian, in the right week to think about it. Adults, drop in. Free. pclibrary.org/attend

Lunch & Learn: Natural Health with Dr. Pauline Kirwin. Wednesday, May 27 from noon to 1:00 PM at the Monterey branch of the Putnam County Library. Dr. Pauline Kirwin leads an informative session on natural health. Bring a lunch if you want, or just stop in on a break. Adults, drop in. Free.

The IHOP on Interstate is closing. The IHOP at 1115 Interstate Drive, the one next to Walmart and Sam's Club, has been sold to Verlaine Capital in an all-cash deal, and employees received a two-week notice with the closure described as "ASAP." Verlaine is an institutional retail real estate investor that buys what it calls "high-traffic corridor" property; the company has not said what comes next for the site. The human side of the story is worth pausing on. From the Upper Cumberland Business Journal, employee Rebecca Parton said most of the staff are single mothers depending on tips and that the announcement was a shock. If you've gotten breakfast or late-night pancakes there over the years, the people who served it are losing their shifts on short notice.

Fire & Vine's rooftop is open this week. Cookeville's only rooftop dining venue is at 115 West First Street, and late May is the season the rooftop is built for. Button-controlled louvered roof, walls that move with the weather, fans for warm afternoons, floor heating for cool evenings. Mon-Thu 4 to 9 PM; Fri-Sat 10:30 AM to 9:30 PM; Sun 10:30 AM to 9 PM. Reservations at 931-559-8463 or fireandvinecookeville.com.

Char's signature weeknight specials hit this week's window. Both nights at Char (14 S Washington Ave) are downtown's best weeknight deals. Tuesday is Boozeday, $5 for all-you-can-drink draft beer until midnight, with live music from Travis Copeland. Wednesday is Wined Down Wednesday, with half-price wine bottles and $5 top-shelf liquors. Two genuinely good Tuesday and Wednesday calls.

Putnam Room Whiskey Wednesdays. Wednesday, May 27 from 5:00 to 9:00 PM at The Putnam Room (319 E Spring Street). Half off all whiskey, bourbon, and scotch for four hours, on top of the standard happy hour. The regular Tue-Sat 3 to 5 PM happy hour is also running Tuesday this week if you want to start earlier. Reservations at 931-644-3722. theputnamroom.com.

Crawdaddy's daily themed drinks, Mon through Wed. Crawdaddy's runs a different drink special each night, and this week's three days work nicely. Monday is $4.99 Tito's all day, Tuesday is half-price drafts, and Wednesday is the Aperol Spritz feature. Open 11 AM to 10 PM each day. 53 W Broad Street.

Cookeville just gained the largest splash pad in the state.

Last Thursday, May 21, the city cut the ribbon on the new splash pad and companion playground at Cane Creek Park (201 CC Camp Road), and by Saturday afternoon the place was already drawing families even with rain in the weekend forecast. The new facility currently holds the title of Tennessee's largest splash pad.

The design is built for kids and water conservation in the same gesture. The splash pad uses a system called aquavators, where the water fountains run for 45 minutes to an hour at a time, then pause until someone touches a sensor to restart the flow. It is a real and visible piece of engineering, and it is the kind of detail that explains why a small city of Cookeville's size can put up the largest splash pad in the state without committing to year-round pumping costs.

Mayor Laurin Wheaton, who has young kids of her own, was the first to activate the water at the ribbon cutting. "As a mom, this is something that is so important to me, that we have activities for our kids," she said. Leisure Services Director Chad McDonald framed it broader: "These new amenities aren't just a place to play, they're an investment in our community."

The project was designed by Kimley-Horn and built by FTM Fuel Tank Maintenance and Recreational Concepts. A new restroom facility is still under construction nearby, with completion six to eight weeks out.

Cane Creek Park hours expand for the summer beginning Memorial Day. The park is now open 7 AM to 10 PM, every day, through Labor Day. The splash pad is free, the playground is free, the trails are free, and the lake and fishing piers are still there too.

One thing about the weather forecast: it does not really apply here. Storms or no storms, the splash pad is built for water. Bring the kids and bring towels.

Cane Creek splash pad and playground are open all week. Daily from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM at Cane Creek Park, 201 CC Camp Road. The new splash pad and playground are open for general use through the week, no admission required. See the feature above for the full story. Free, every day, all ages.

Lunch and Learn: UCHRA Transportation at the Algood Library. Wednesday, May 27 from 12:30 to 1:30 PM at the Algood branch. An educational session on UCHRA's public transportation services, useful for anyone who has never used them or who knows someone who needs them. Adults, drop in. Free. pclibrary.org/attend

Scrapbooking Club at the Monterey Library. Wednesday, May 27 from 3:30 to 4:30 PM at the Monterey branch. Bring a scrapbook and photos. Casual format. Adults, drop in. Free.

Cookeville Farmers Market, open daily. 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM every day on Mahler Avenue, Monday through Wednesday and beyond. Memorial Day does not affect the market schedule. Late-spring stride right now: strawberries are in, plus plant starts, fresh herbs, baked goods, honey, and eggs from Putnam County growers. Producer-only, every vendor grows or makes what they sell. The covered market on Mahler is the actual building. Free to browse. cookeville-tn.gov/farmers-market

Planet Fitness Teen Summer Pass is back. Planet Fitness has brought back its free Teen Summer Pass for the 2026 summer season. Free summer access for teens during their school break, a useful one for families looking for low-cost summer routine. Sign up at the local Planet Fitness location.

If you know someone with kids who has not seen the new splash pad yet, share this with them. Cane Creek is one of those upgrades worth knowing about. Have an event, opening, or story tip for next week? Reply to this email or tag us on social. Word of mouth is how we keep finding the good ones.

Thanks for being here with us, Cookeville. Memorial Day is the quiet kind of holiday, and a free patriotic concert at Dogwood is the right way to close it out. See you next time. 🧡

-- The Cookeville Scoop Team