Coming up around Center Hill Lake.

Rosenwald Schools Exhibit

Cookeville History Museum

The free traveling exhibit Building a Bright Future explores the Black communities, educators and partnerships that built Rosenwald Schools across Tennessee. It was created by the Tennessee State Museum with Fisk University and includes the local legacy of Putnam County’s West Side School, later known as Darwin School.

Best for

History travelers, educators, older children and visitors interested in Black history

Tony’s call

Give the exhibit focused time, then pair it with lunch downtown or the Cookeville Depot Museum. It strengthens a Cookeville day; it does not need to consume the whole day.

McMinnville Autumn Street Fair

Historic Downtown McMinnville

One of the region’s larger fall gatherings brings arts and crafts, food, live entertainment and community activity into downtown McMinnville for a two-day event expected to draw thousands of visitors.

Best for

Families, craft shoppers, food-first groups and travelers wanting a full fall-festival day

Tony’s call

Go early and make downtown McMinnville the day’s anchor. With a large crowd expected, confirm the final schedule, parking plan and road closures before leaving the lake.

Myles Place Fall Festival

821 O’Connor Street · Smithville

A community fall afternoon with pumpkin carving, games, food, sweet treats, bounce houses, prizes and young local vendors—close enough to fit naturally into a Center Hill Lake weekend.

Best for

Families with younger children, local shoppers and guests wanting an easy Smithville outing

Tony’s call

Choose this for a lower-key family day close to the lake. Do not confuse it with the larger downtown Pumpkin Festival the following weekend.

Smithville Pumpkin Festival

Downtown Smithville

A free fall gathering with a mini pumpkin patch, arts and crafts, food trucks and downtown vendors.

Best for

Younger children, elementary ages and mixed families

Tony’s call

Arrive earlier for the family activities; keep the evening simple.

All’s Well That Ends Well: Shakespeare in the Park

Dogwood Park · Cookeville

The Cookeville Theatre Company stages Shakespeare’s comedy outdoors across seven free evening performances. The October 10 finale follows an all-day Shakespeare festival in the park.

Best for

Families, theatergoers, students and visitors looking for a memorable free evening

Tony’s call

Bring blankets or lawn chairs and a picnic. Choose October 10 for the fuller festival atmosphere, or an earlier performance for a simpler theater night.

Lester Flatt Celebration

Historic Downtown Sparta

A free day of bluegrass honoring Sparta native Lester Flatt, with a full music lineup on Liberty Square.

Best for

Bluegrass listeners, music-history travelers and multigenerational groups

Tony’s call

Choose this instead of the Pumpkin Festival if live music is the priority; trying to make both the center of the day will weaken each.

An Evening with Hiroya Tsukamoto

First United Methodist Church · 108 N. Fourth Street, Smithville

Internationally acclaimed guitarist and composer Hiroya Tsukamoto brings his intricate fingerstyle playing, original music and storytelling to an unusually intimate Smithville performance. The church describes the concert as completely free.

Best for

Acoustic-guitar listeners, couples, older children and visitors wanting a distinctive local evening

Tony’s call

This is worth choosing over a distant regional show because it happens in Smithville itself. Confirm the start time before leaving: the church’s posts say 6 PM, while its Facebook event card currently displays 5 PM.

CaveFest 2026

The Caverns · Pelham

Two days of Americana, bluegrass and roots music above and below ground, plus guided cave tours, late-night sets, camping and family programming.

Best for

Music travelers, cave-curious families and visitors willing to make the festival the weekend anchor

Tony’s call

Read the ticket and add-on inclusions carefully. Cave tours, camping and reserved parking are not automatically included with every admission type.

Parcels: LOVED Tour 2026

The Caverns · Pelham

Australian electro-pop band Parcels brings the LOVED Tour to the underground room for its Caverns debut.

Best for

Dance-minded music travelers, couples and listeners willing to make a Tuesday concert the trip anchor

Tony’s call

This is a dedicated concert drive, not an afterthought. Confirm doors, ticket inventory, parking and any tour add-ons directly with the venue.

STS9 in The Caverns

The Caverns · Pelham

Sound Tribe Sector 9 returns for two nights of instrumental electronic music in the underground venue.

Best for

Jam, electronic and live-production fans willing to make the concerts the weekend anchor

Tony’s call

Choose one night or plan the full two-show run before arranging the rest of the weekend. Confirm admission, parking and camping inclusions for your ticket type.

Southern Festival of Books

Bicentennial Mall, Nashville

A free, nationally recognized literary festival bringing more than 175 authors to Nashville for readings, conversations, panels and book signings.

Best for

Readers, writers, families and travelers who enjoy author talks

Tony’s call

Study the schedule and pick a short list of authors before driving. With crowds expected to exceed 25,000, allow time for parking and walking between venues.

Upper Cumberland Bigfoot Festival

1391 Livingston Road · Crossville

A two-day regional gathering with live music, vendors, food trucks, crafts, contests and Bigfoot-themed programming at its 2026 Crossville location.

Best for

Curious families, festival travelers and groups looking for an offbeat fall outing

Tony’s call

This is in Crossville—not Cookeville. Treat it as a dedicated regional outing and verify the daily schedule, parking and any ticketed activities before driving.

Rocky Horror Picture Show in The Caverns

The Caverns · Pelham

The cult film experience moves into the subterranean venue for a distinctly theatrical cave night.

Best for

Film fans, groups and visitors who want an unusual evening rather than a traditional concert

Tony’s call

Verify age guidance, audience-participation rules, doors and permitted props on the official event listing before buying.

Akira Yamaoka in The Caverns

The Caverns · Pelham

The composer and musician associated with the Silent Hill series brings an atmospheric performance to the underground room.

Best for

Game-music listeners, soundtrack fans and travelers seeking a performance shaped by the venue

Tony’s call

Confirm the final show time, support lineup and ticket rules directly; make this the evening anchor rather than an add-on after a packed day.

Cookeville Treat Trail

Dogwood Park · Cookeville

A free city-sponsored trick-or-treating event in Dogwood Park, with a defined two-hour window and an easy downtown setting for families spending Halloween weekend in the region.

Best for

Families with younger children and visitors wanting a simple Halloween plan

Tony’s call

Join the line before 5:30 PM, as required by the city. Treat this as the family event; The Caverns’ Rocky Horror screening serves a very different audience.

The fall-color progression

Center Hill Lake, state parks and wooded backroads

Middle Tennessee’s color usually builds through October, with the strongest broad display most likely late in the month. Elevation, tree species, drought, heat, wind and rain can move the sequence earlier, later or shorten it.

1. October 1–10 · Early hints

   Mostly green canopy. Look for scattered red dogwood, sourwood and early maples, especially on exposed ridges.

2. October 11–20 · Building color

   Green begins breaking into yellow and red. Hickories and tulip poplars become easier to notice.

3. October 21–31 · Likely strongest window

   The broadest mix of gold, orange and red is usually most plausible now across Middle Tennessee.

4. November 1–10 · Late color

   More leaf drop and open views. Oaks and sheltered lower slopes may still hold rust, bronze and deep red.

Best for

Scenic drives, overlooks, hikers and photographers

Tony’s call

Use these dates as planning bands, not a promise. Check current park photos and weather during the week of your trip.

23rd Annual Mistletoe Market

Leslie Town Centre, Cookeville

More than 50 local merchants, food trucks and holiday shopping under one roof, with Santa appearances and a low admission price.

Best for

Gift shoppers, families and visitors wanting an easy indoor plan

Tony’s call

Use this as the anchor for a Cookeville day. Pair it with lunch or a museum rather than another major event.

25th Annual Art Prowl

Cookeville’s Historic WestSide

A free, walkable arts weekend with regional artists, studios, galleries, demonstrations and local businesses participating across the WestSide and downtown.

Best for

Art buyers, creative travelers, couples and older children

Tony’s call

Friday evening has more social energy; Saturday gives you more time to meet artists and look carefully.

Palace with Willie J Healey

The Caverns · Pelham

Palace plays its first underground show at The Caverns with special guest Willie J Healey. The official listing identifies a standing-room-only subterranean concert.

Best for

Indie listeners, couples and music travelers building a dedicated Pelham evening

Tony’s call

Doors are listed for 7 PM Central. Cave tours and parking or camping upgrades are add-ons, not admission tickets.

The SteelDrivers: Four of a Kind Residency

The Caverns · Pelham

The Grammy-winning SteelDrivers settle into The Caverns for a rare four-night residency split across two November weekends.

Best for

Bluegrass listeners, returning Caverns visitors and travelers choosing a music-first weekend

Tony’s call

Compare the four dates before booking lodging. Ticket, parking, camping and cave-tour access may be separate, so verify every inclusion on the official listing.

Peter Pan

Cookeville Performing Arts Center

Cookeville Children’s Theatre marks its 50th anniversary with the classic Neverland musical, performed by young regional artists at CPAC.

Best for

Families, grandparents, young theatergoers and anyone looking for a dependable indoor outing

Tony’s call

Choose a public performance rather than a school-day presentation, and confirm the exact curtain time through CCT or the CPAC box office before driving.

Frozen: The Musical

Park Theater · McMinnville

Warren Arts brings Disney’s familiar story and Broadway score to the Park Theater for a three-day community-theater run.

Best for

Families with children, musical-theater fans and rainy-weekend travelers

Tony’s call

Book the performance first, then build a compact McMinnville outing around it. Verify the final showtime and ticket inventory with the Park Theater.

Day After Thanksgiving Hike

Rock Island State Park

A ranger-led walk on the moderately strenuous Downstream Trail, with flowstone, views of the historic dam, Twin Falls and the Caney Fork River.

Best for

Active families with older children, hikers and waterfall travelers

Tony’s call

Meet at the end of Powerhouse Road and wear footwear suited to a rough, potentially wet trail. Check park alerts and weather that morning.

Cookeville Community Band Holiday Concert

Cookeville Performing Arts Center

A free annual concert that moves the season indoors without requiring a full Nashville excursion.

Best for

Music lovers, families and visitors seeking a relaxed holiday outing

Tony’s call

Confirm the performance time before leaving; make this the centerpiece of a simple Cookeville afternoon.

Smithville Christmas on the Square

Downtown Smithville

Smithville’s community Christmas celebration returns to the courthouse square for its 25th anniversary, bringing holiday activity, local traditions and a festive downtown gathering close to Center Hill Lake.

Best for

Families, multigenerational groups and guests who want a genuinely local holiday event

Tony’s call

This is the local priority for December 5. Confirm the final parade, live-window and activity schedule with the Chamber before leaving, then keep the rest of the day close to Smithville.

Cookeville Depot Christmas & Tree Lighting

Cookeville Depot Museum and Dogwood Park

Saturday’s Depot Christmas open house offers caroling, games, model trains and Santa. On Sunday from 6–7:30 PM, Dogwood Park lights its nearly 40-foot tree, followed by a synchronized holiday light show that continues nightly through the season.

Best for

Families, train enthusiasts and multigenerational groups

Tony’s call

Make this a two-stop Cookeville weekend rather than two unrelated listings. Confirm Saturday’s depot hours; arrive at Dogwood Park before the Sunday ceremony begins.

Mountain Grass Unit in The Caverns

The Caverns · Pelham

The Birmingham progressive-bluegrass quartet headlines its first show in the underground room.

Best for

Bluegrass listeners and music travelers who want the cave venue to shape the night

Tony’s call

Confirm ticket availability, doors and add-ons before building the drive around the show. A cave tour, parking upgrade or camping pass is separate unless the listing says otherwise.

It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play

Cumberland County Playhouse · Crossville

The holiday classic is staged as a 1940s live radio broadcast in the Playhouse’s Adventure Theater. The production is rated PG and presented as a warm family outing.

Best for

Families, classic-film fans and visitors willing to make a dedicated Crossville outing

Tony’s call

Choose the performance time first and build a compact Crossville day around it. Confirm the specific date and ticket inventory directly with the Playhouse.

Rhonda Vincent & The Rage: A Bluegrass Christmas

The Caverns · Pelham

Rhonda Vincent and The Rage bring a bluegrass Christmas celebration to the underground room for an early-evening holiday performance.

Best for

Bluegrass fans, multigenerational music lovers and holiday-weekend travelers

Tony’s call

Doors are listed for 4 PM Central. Because the concert starts earlier than most cave shows, plan the drive and meal timing before leaving the lake.

The Irish Tenors: A Family Christmas

The Caverns · Pelham

The Irish Tenors bring their family Christmas program underground for a late-afternoon concert of seasonal favorites and signature songs.

Best for

Families with older children, vocal-music listeners and travelers seeking a distinctive holiday performance

Tony’s call

Doors are listed for 3 PM Central. Confirm ticket availability and accessibility needs directly, then leave enough daylight for the drive to Pelham.

Christmas Forest

Cookeville History Museum

More than 30 trees decorated by area organizations turn the museum into a compact portrait of Cookeville’s community life. Admission is free.

Best for

Families, mixed-age groups and anyone needing a weather-proof holiday stop

Tony’s call

Pair it with lunch or the Depot Museum. It is a worthwhile hour indoors, not a reason to overbuild the entire day.

Christmas Forest: the quieter window

Cookeville History Museum

The Christmas Forest remains open after the holiday rush, with more than 30 community-decorated trees and free admission during museum hours.

Best for

Families, couples and winter visitors who want a dependable indoor stop

Tony’s call

January is the better choice if you care more about breathing room than holiday buildup. Confirm museum hours before driving, especially around weather closures.

Winter waterfall and open-view season

Center Hill Lake and nearby Tennessee State Parks

Leaf-off woods reveal longer views, and winter rain can strengthen regional waterfalls. Short daylight, ice and trail closures can also erase a plan quickly.

Best for

Hikers, photographers, couples and repeat visitors who value quiet

Tony’s call

Choose one park, check its alerts and weather that morning, and carry a short indoor backup. Never treat a wet or icy overlook as a promise you have to keep.