Wilmington is growing, and with its new size comes diversity. Some may raise an eyebrow at the influx of New York and New Jersey newcomers, but in the end, all assimilate into the relaxed Southern seashore way of life. "Wilmywood", as many call Wilmington, has become one of the top movie-making areas in the world. The reason for this? Those in the biz have cited lovely weather, low production costs, a cost of living that’s easy on the creative worker’s budget, and a relaxed lifestyle. MovieMaker also ranked the city’s Cucalorus Film Festival as one of the Coolest Film Festivals. A reason given was its “non-competitive atmosphere,” which lends itself to filmmakers gaining a renewed appreciation of their craft. And how! The same publication ranked Wilmington as one of the Best Places to Make a Movie.

In other artsy accolades for Wilmington: it was one of the cities featured in The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America