UP Entertainment announces the 20 Most Uplifting Cities in America

UP Entertainment, the leading provider of immersive entertainment to passionate and diverse audiences across cable, satellite and streaming platforms, today announced the Top 20 Most Uplifting Cities in America. UP Entertainment teamed up with MRI-Simmons to create this inaugural Fall Local Flex 2023 list using MRI-Simmons to find the small to mid-sized cities across the United States that have the most fun-loving residents*. These are cities where most of the population valued generosity, optimism, kindness, volunteerism and spirituality. The most uplifting cities in each region of the country are:

Among the DMA data for the U.S. (excluding the top 20), the most positive cities in each census region were selected based on the highest percentage of residents who say they are optimists and consider themselves a spiritual person. They are also willing to volunteer their time for a good cause and agree that they are generally kind and generous.

Some highlights of what makes these places uplifting cities:

Macon, Georgia is home to the Otis Redding Foundation and the Otis Redding Center for the Arts, whose mission is to empower, enrich and motivate all young people through programs in music, writing and instrumentation. Additionally, Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful has a tree planting project designed to revitalize the area’s historically significant MLK Corridor.

Each year, the Flint, Michigan community gathers for 810 Day, an unofficial holiday in Flint that is a nod to the area’s “810” area code. The day is celebrated on August 10th^Th with community events, fashion shows and concerts all taking place in one day. This event grows each year as people from across the community come together to celebrate their hometown. Flint also has the Flint SPARKS program through Explore Flint & Genesee, where individuals give their time back to the community. The SPARKS are made up of young and old and volunteer at local visitor centers, including one at Flint Bishop International Airport. They also support major events in the region such as Back to the Bricks and the Crim Festival of Races.

In Erie, Pennsylvania, Erie hosts the Keystone Nonprofit Conference through the Nonprofit Partnership. KeyCon is a conference for nonprofit professionals – from executives to program staff – full of learning opportunities, networking opportunities and valuable partner/vendor connections. The nonprofit sector employs 19% of Erie’s workforce. Founded during the pandemic, Erie now also features Erie’s Black Wall Street (EBWS), dedicated to promoting Black excellence and prosperity while building a stronger, more connected community.

Meridian, Miss. hosts annual events for its residents, including the Jimmy Rodgers Music Festival (since 1953, it is the longest-running music festival in the country); State Games of Mississippi, the state’s largest amateur “sports festival,” encompassing (40+) sports over a multi-week period and thousands of athletes; and the Soule Steam Festival. The exhibition, created in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution’s Museums on Main Street program, is an important part of this celebration and illustrates the contributions of American workers to the Industrial Revolution. =

UP Entertainment celebrates its 20th anniversary^Th anniversary on October 30, 2024. To commemorate the big day, the company has designated October 30 as national UPlift Someone Day through the National Day Archives. UPlift Someone is the purpose of UP Entertainment and a core value of the company. For more information, visit www.UPliftSomeone.com #UpliftSomeone.

*Methodology: Using the 2023 Fall Local Flex MRI-Simmons data, the top five DMAs (excluding the top 20 largest DMAs by size) within each census tract were selected based on the highest percentage of residents who all agree: I consider myself a spiritual people AND Yes, I agree: I often volunteer for a good cause. AND I completely agree: generous, selfless. AND I agree: I am an optimist. AND I agree: sociable, friendly, personable.