Downtown Cookeville will turn into a splish-splashing fun place for your family this Fourth Of July Weeekend. 106-9 Kicks Country’s SlideCKVL presented by Nissan Of Cookeville.

Enjoy the 1,000 foot slip and slide with your kids Saturday July 1 and Sunday July 2. Saturday, slide from from Noon until 10pm. Sunday, you can slide from Noon until 8pm. Grab your swimsuit and inner tube and slide down Broad Street starting at the Courthouse Square. Hang on as the water propels you down the hill before your big splash near Dogwood Park.

Keep yourself hydrated while you slide with food and drinks from local vendors and civic groups at the bottom of the slide thanks to Cookeville CityScape. You can also enjoy the KidZone in Dogwood Park with plenty of fun for smaller kids.

Special-Priced Tickets are on sale now at the Cookeville Performing Arts Center. Save on your SlideCKVL tickets by buying them early. Day-Of Tickets and Armband Pickup will be located next to Borden’s Jewelry. Day-of sales will be cash only.

To participate in SlideCKVL, you must:

• Be at least 5 years old and at least 46 inches high
• Sign an injury release form
• Ride on an inner tube or inflatable float – one person per tune

No refunds, rain checks or cancellations.

It’s SlideCKVL presented by Nissan Of Cookeville and 106-9 Kicks Country.

What’s more All-American than hunting for a bargain? You’re sure to find one as part of the 2017 Firecracker Flea Market at the Putnam County Fairgrounds, Friday June 30 and Saturday July 1.

It’s two days of one-of-a-kind crafts and treasures…maybe a piece of history…perhaps that thing you’ve been searching for. Find it during the Firecracker Flea Market featuring more than 50 vendors. It’s Friday and Saturday 8am-8pm both days. Admission is free.

Reserve your booth now for three days of bargain, one-of-a-kind gifts, great food and fun. Booths are available now through PutnamCounty Parks and Recreation. Space is limited so get your booth now. See the booth layouts and prices by calling the Parks and Rec office at 526-8015.

It’s a red, white and blue shopping spectacular…the 2017 Firecracker Flea Market. Friday June 30 and Saturday July 1 at the PutnamCounty Fairgrounds.

Celebrate America’s birthday with a pure American classic! Amazing cars, classic trucks and revved-up cycles will be on display during the Red White & Boom Classic Car Cruise, Saturday July 1 from Noon until 4pm at the Putnam County Fairgrounds. It’s free to show your cars and free for those wanting to see this special show.

Bring your classics to the Fairgrounds – enter through the West Gates off Walnut Avenue only. The first 200 drivers will receive a dash plate.

Prizes will be given away every 30 minutes during the show….plus there will be plenty of great classic music…and delicious food at the Fairgrounds. As you enjoy the classic cruise-in, get registered for a 50-50 drawing, to be given away at 3:45pm.

Help make this the biggest show between Nashville and Knoxville….and celebrate the fourth. Bring your classic vehicles to the Putnam County Fairgrounds and show them off. And show up to see all these classic cars, trucks, and motorcycles too!

It’s the Red White & Boom Classic Car Cruise Saturday the first at the Putnam County Fairgrounds. For questions, call (931) 260-8020.

Before the fireworks light up the sky Tuesday, the sounds of great music will fill the air throughout Cookeville’s Red White And Boom Celebration. Enjoy a free performance as part of the Lite Rock 95.9 concert series.

Saturday at 5:00pm

Peraphin In Concert

Kickoff your Saturday afternoon of great music with

Saturday at 6:30pm

Smoky Mountain Bandits In Concert

It’s some home-fried southern rock. It’s the Smoky Mountain Bandits from Murfreesboro performing live. Slideman Ross calls the Marshall Tucker Band a big influence on his music and you will hear that on stage.

Saturday at 8:00pm

Familiar Faces In Concert

If you love the music of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, you will love Familiar Faces. With twirling horns, tight lead and background vocals and a driving rhythm section, Familiar Faces Band has become one of the busiest live bands in the Southeast.

Sunday at 7:30pm

Ballinger Family Band In Concert

Old time fiddle tunes to gypsy swing to contemporary ballads…the Upper Cumberland’s own Ballinger Family Band performs it all. Kris, Dale and their son Ethan will help you enjoy the Fourth Of July weekend with great homegrown music.

Monday at 7:30pm

Cookeville Community Band

Get in the patriotic spirit with the Cookeville Community Band. “The Sound of the Cumberland,” was formed in 2002 by the late Wayne Pegram. It consists of public school band directors, college professors, college and high school students and local musicians, both active and retired, who love to play the great wind band music.

Start the July 4^th Celebration with the best dressed, most creative kids in the Upper Cumberland. It’s the annual Kids Bicycle and Wagon Parade July 4^th morning at the Putnam County Courthouse downtown Cookeville.

Your kids can win prizes for their creativity and American spirit. Kids will compete in three age groups, 4 and younger, 5 to 8, and 9 to 13. Dress up yourself, your bike and/or your wagon to win prizes in five categories:

• Best Use Of The Flag – Incorporate old glory in your decorating theme.
• Best Tennessee Or Putnam County Inspiration – Think about our local history and how you can share that message with your art.
• Most Presidential – Whether it’s Lincoln’s hat or Mr. Trump’s hair, showcase your presidential look.
• Best Historical Character – Who in our history inspires you? Showcase that man or woman.
• Most Creative – Most importantly, showcase your creativity and flair and celebrate America.

The parade begins at 10am and will make its way around the courthouse square. Arrive by 9:30am.

Then at 10:30am, Putnam County officially celebrates the 4^th of July with a special ceremony featuring music and local heroes. After the ceremony, take some time to tour the Putnam County Courthouse as the county celebrates its 175^th birthday. See amazing artifacts and displays and all the history of the courthouse itself.

It’s July 4^th morning in downtown Cookeville.

Nothing says 4th of July like watermelon! Get ready to get your fill in this year’s Watermelon Eating Contest at the fairgrounds.  Each contestant will be given a half a watermelon and the first one to get down to the rind will be declared the champion!  The winner will be awarded a $40 gift card, and 2nd place will receive a $20 gift card. Do you think you have what it takes to beat out the competition? Signups begin at 4pm July 4th, and the contest will begin at 4:45. There will be three divisions 6-10, 11-16, and 17 and older. This is a free event, but it is limited to the first 25 entries per category.

The best place to view the state’s second biggest fireworks show? The Putnam County Fairgrounds. So get to the Fairgrounds Tuesday afternoon, reserve your spot, and enjoy some Fourth of July fun during Pre Boom 2017..

It all begins on the 4th at 5:30pm as the local legends…Legacy and special guests take to the stage! Enjoy inflatables, games, snow cones, cotton candy, burgers, fried oreos and more.

Bring a picnic, your lawn chairs, and sit in the parking lot with your neighbors and friends as 8:45pm approaches – and a huge fireworks show lights up the sky. Be sure to tune to 95.9, 100.9, 106.9 or 93.7 for the fireworks music to enjoy the show.

Parking is free. Avoid the crowds!

Putnam County Government welcomes you to Pre Boom 2017 at the Putnam County Fairgrounds, July 4th beginning at 5:30pm. It’s all a part of Cookeville’s Red White and Boom.

In your school career…you likely learned the multiplication tables. You learned how to multiply fractions. You were taught how to create a percentage. Likely, you did not understand what it really meant, but you had a formula or steps or just memorized the way.

STEM Education focuses on the WHY more than the how. We go inside STEM education with Holly Anthony, a professor in the Math Education Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Tennessee Tech.

Today In The Upper Cumberland airs each weekend as a way to introduce you to interesting people and subjects of interest to our community. Catch the show each Saturday morning at 6 on Lite Rock 95.9, Rock 93-7, and 106-9 Kicks Country.

Sunday morning, the show airs at 7am on Rock 93-7. Catch the show Sunday night at 6pm on Lite Rock 95.9 and at 7pm on 106-9 Kicks Country. You can also catch Today in The Upper Cumberland Sunday mornings at 7am and Sundays at Noon on News Talk 94.1/AM 1600.

Recent Cookeville High School graduate Tess Simpson has been awarded the Bill Penn Broadcast Scholarship.

The award was presented Thursday, June 1st during a ceremony at Del Monaco Winery.

Simpson will receive $1,000 toward her secondary education from the team members at Stonecom Radio, Rock 93-7, Lite Rock 95.9, 106-9 Kicks Country, and News Talk 94.1/AM 1600.

The award honors the long broadcast career of Bill Penn, who served Cookeville and Putnam County through his radio work for more than 35 years. It is open to students interested in studying broadcasting, journalism, public relations, marketing, graphic design, or related fields. Penn most recently served as traffic director/business manager for the stations of Stonecom.

Simpson is interested journalism. She plans to enroll in Tennessee Tech in the fall with a major in English and a minor in education. Simpson said this scholarship will help her build a foundation.

“Expanding my education, I’ve always been very fond of learning and it’s quite amazing to be a first generation college student,” Simpson told Lite Rock’s Sheila Scruggs..

Simpson becomes the third winner of the scholarship, which will be presented each spring.

Penn began his broadcast career in 1974 in Vevay, Indiana. He worked in radio in east Tennessee including stops at Knoxville’s WNOX. Penn arrived in Cookeville in 1981 working for owners including Dwight Henry and Joe Wilmoth.

Rising seniors at any of the Upper Cumberland high schools interested in applying for the scholarship may apply at StonecomRadio.Com.

Stonecom owns and operates Lite Rock 95.9, 106-9 Kicks Country, Rock 93-7, and News Talk 94.1/AM 1600.

With state government approval in place, work will begin soon to expand the broadband blueprint across the Volunteer State. It’s an effort that has taken the hard work of numerous groups and state leaders to make happen.

One of those groups….the Community Economic Development Network of East Tennessee. The network fights for access in all areas for all citizens of the region. Jacquelyn Bragg talks about the network’s work and how broadband can assist in the economic success of the region.

Today In The Upper Cumberland airs each weekend as a way to introduce you to interesting people and subjects of interest to our community. Catch the show each Saturday morning at 6 on Lite Rock 95.9, Rock 93-7, and 106-9 Kicks Country.

Sunday morning, the show airs at 7am on Rock 93-7. Catch the show Sunday night at 6pm on Lite Rock 95.9 and at 7pm on 106-9 Kicks Country. You can also catch Today in The Upper Cumberland Sunday mornings at 7am and Sundays at Noon on News Talk 94.1/AM 1600.