Events Announcements
January
Lonestar Championship Rodeo
The rodeo includes bareback bronco riding, calf roping, saddle bronco riding, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing and more.
April
Windows on the World
This event is sponsored by the Globalization Committee of Tennessee Tech University's College of Business, the event provides an international passport for world travel -without leaving the comfort of TTU's Roden University Center. Get a taste of each culture as international music fills the air, dance to the beat of global tunes, sample the flavors from around the world and shop the fantastic fares and goods. Kid's activities include hands-on crafts and games. Contact: 931-372-6197 or visit www.tntech.edu/wow.
Nature Fest
Nature Fest is an Earth Day celebration of natural resources. Four activity-packed days of hikes, lectures, workshops, presentations and other activities. Held at Tennessee Tech University's Pennebaker Hall, Cane Creek Park and Ensor Sink Natural Area. Contact: Leisure Services 931-520-4386 or visit
http://ls.cookeville-tn.org.
Annual Celebration of Craft
Celebration of Craft is a day-long festival at the Joe L. Evins Appalachian Center for Craft with free admission featuring craft demonstrations in all studios, fine craft sales, silent auction, gallery discounts, kids' craft activities, food and live music. Contact: Craft Center 931-372-3051 or visit www.tntech.edu/craftcenter.
Dogwood Fridays
This is one concert series that provides beauty for the eyes as well as the ears, because it's held during Dogwood Park's peak springtime blooming season. These noontime concerts are held each Friday in April. Contact: Cookeville Drama Center 931-528-1313 or visit http://www.cookeville-tn.org/dramacenter/.
May
Railroad Rendesvous SpringFest
The golden age of riding the trails - when people and materials were transported across the state and the continent by train - is brought back to life annually at the Cookeville Depot and Historic Westside. It is a Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 event with a train excursion, fun-filled family events (including "Dobro's at the Depot"--the official Tennessee Resonator Guitar Championship), Bluegrass competition, and much more. The event is sponsored by the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce and features family entertainment, food and live music. Children's activities throughout the day include carriage rides, authentic covered wagon rides and much more. Adults enjoy browsing among antiques and collectibles, flea market finds and craft booths, and strolling the historic streets with ladies and gentlemen dressed in their finest vintage clothing. Also featured are train and railroad memorabilia, historic reenactments, demonstrations, antique tractors, trucks and cars, clowns, magicians and more children's activities including horse drawn buggy rides, a petting zoo and much more.
Contact: Cookeville- Putnam County Chamber of Commerce 931-526-2211 or visit www.rrspringfest.com.
Taste of the Town
Tastte of the Town is Cookeville CityScape's premier annual fundraising event. It features liquid refreshments, food and desserts from many Putnam County restaurants. It is held at a different location each year. Contact: 931-528-4612 or visit www.cookevillecityscape.com.
June
Sundays in the Park
The new performance pavilion at Dogwood Park - located just behind the Putnam County Library - is the chosen stage for this popular free concert series, held each Sunday afternoon in June. Sponsored by the City of Cookeville's Leisure Services Department, the series features various kinds of music, from blues to rock'n'roll to Western. Contact: Cookeville Drama Center 931-528-1313 or visit http://www.cookeville-tn.org/dramacenter/
July
Star Spangled Fourth
Sponsored by JWC Broadcasting, this spectacular 4th of July event brings beautiful fireworks and entertainment. Pyrotechnics displays are held annually at the Putnam County Fairgrounds to celebrate our nation's birthday with a bang. Contact: 931-528-9289.
Old Time Fiddlers Jamboree/Craft Festival
Just outside Cookeville, in Smithville, TN, the Jamboree is an amazing craft fair with an entertainment twist. Located on Smithville Town Square, experience a true Southern event that draws thousands of visitors from all across the U.S. Contact: 615-597-8500.
Cream City Crankin'
This event features store-bought and hand-made ice cream, entertainment and games in Historic Westside District of Cookeville. It is sponsored by Cookeville's CityScape, a Main Street organization. Contact: 931-528-4612 or visit www.cookevillecityscape.com.
August
Putnam County Industrial and Agricultural Fair
This traditional event is held each summer and is a favorite of many. It offers everything from displays of antique engines to mule pull competitions to mountain buck dancing and square dancing. All of these community events are provided at low or no cost. Information about and footage from many fair events are even broadcast on Cookeville's own public television station, WCTE-TV. Its annual Great TV Auction allows the 400,000 people in its service area to pick up great deals while helping maintain the station and its equipment.
Highway 127 Corridor Outdoor Sale
One of the longest yard sales in the U.S. strethes over 450 miles from Cincinnati, Ohio to Gadsen, Alabama. Hwy. 127 runs north-south and is just minutes from Cookeville. Plan your stay in Cookeville and travel a short distance to Hwy. 127 for the sale.
September
Fall FunFest
Held each September by CityScape on the Cookeville Courthouse Square, this event is Cookeville's Main Street festival, combining crafts and entertainment with WCTE-TV's Stations of Imagination for young children and the Cookeville Cook-Off barbecue competition. Barbecue teams from all parts of the country come to compete and local food vendors sell their tasty treats. It is a wonderful food event offered by Cookeville Dept. of Leisure Services. Performances by such noted musicians as the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Atlanta Rhythm Section and Delbert McClinton also highlight the event. Contact: 931-528-4612 or visit www.fallfunfest.com or www.cookevillecityscape.com.
Upper Cumberland Quilt Festival & Antique Engine & Tractor Show
Catch two great events in one weekend! Visit the quilt show for a unique collection of quality hand-made works of art. Then make tracks to the engine and tractor show with festivities ranging from great food to fabulous demonstrations.
October
Cookin' on the Square
For those who enjoy a little Cajun flavor, this annual fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity is perfect. Held on the Cookeville Courthouse Square, the event features dozens of cooks who gather downtown to serve their best Cajun concoctions in bowls of handmade pottery. Contact: Habitat for Humanity 931-528-1711.
Standing Stone Celebration
The Standing Stone Celebration is centered around the Standing Stone Monument, an ancient monolith that was once the center of Cherokee cultural activities. The celebration focuses on the Cherokee Indians and their part in Monterey's history.
November
Cookeville-Putnam County Christmas Parade
The Cookeville Christmas Parade is a classic community celebration with entries from across the state.
Santa's Workshop
Santa's Workshop is one of the largest indoor craft shows in the Upper Cumberland with hundreds of display booths providing a unique collection of crafts from across the state of Tennessee and beyond. Enjoy the beauty of all original hand-crafted items.
