Viva Tupelo: City honored with several Mississippi Main Street Awards
Tupelo was well represented at the Mississippi Main Street Association Annual Awards Luncheon held in Jackson, bringing home four awards.
The Downtown Main Street Association received the Main Street Circle of Excellence recognition, and also won the 2024 Outstanding Marketing Campaign Award for the Tupelo Elvis Festival 25th Anniversary celebration last year.
In addition, Tupelo Hardware received the 2024 Outstanding Legacy Business Award, and the Change Festival received the 2024 Outstanding Community Engagement Effort Award.
The MMSA Annual Awards Luncheon honors Main Street directors, board members and volunteers and recognizes the most outstanding downtown revitalization projects and events from designated Main Street communities throughout Mississippi.
“2024 is a special year as we celebrate 40 years of Main Street and remember our founders and the leaders who have gotten our statewide organization to where we are today,” said Jim Miller, MMSA Executive Director. “Main Street programs are an important economic driver in our state, and we honor and celebrate the local and state champions each year at our Annual Awards.”
Twenty-nine other Main Street programs also earned the Main Street Circle of Excellence and were recognized for their notable efforts in running efficient local programs and excelling with all MMSA requirements of a designated Main Street program: Aberdeen, Amory, Baldwyn, Biloxi, Booneville, Clinton, Columbus, Corinth, Crystal Springs, Greenville, Gulfport, Kosciusko, Laurel, Louisville, Meridian, Natchez, Nettleton, Pascagoula, Pearl, Pontotoc, Ripley, Saltillo, Senatobia, Starkville, Tunica, Vicksburg, Water Valley, West Point and Woodville.
In addition, the 2024 Nationally Accredited and Affiliate Main Street programs were recognized, as well as new members, and Main Street directors who have served for 10 years or longer in their communities.
In 2023, Mississippi Main Street's Designated Communities generated 372 new businesses, 71 business expansions, 868 new jobs, 170 building rehabilitations, and 704 downtown residential units. In addition, 139 public improvement projects were completed as well as 70 new construction projects in downtown business districts. More than $326 million was invested by the public and private sectors in 2023, and more than 46,919 volunteer hours were recorded.
Since 1993, MMSA has generated more than $6 billion in private and public investment (including more than $1.8 billion in public investment).
MMSA currently has 48 Designated Main Street communities, two Network communities and 26 Associate members.
