This past weekend EDM lovers from all over the world congregated in Bayfront Park for the 16th annual Ultra Music Festival.
There was no shortage of flower crowns, colorful beaded “kandi” bracelets, excitedly dancing ravers, or national flags from Finland to Chile.
Ultra lasts 3 days and brings in the best names of electronic music, encompassing all different sub-genres. From the pop-friendly tunes of Alesso to high-energy trap beats of Yellow Claw to EDM genre- bending Cashmere Cat, the most diverse fans of EDM can find multiple artists that they enjoy at one of the many Ultra stages. Even if you don’t listen to a lot of EDM music, Ultra is a surefire good time with tons of dancing and friendly people.
Three-day Ultra passes began selling from September 30 at first-come first-serve tiers– the first being $299.95 and the most typical price being $449.95. The high price of the ticket caused a Boycott Ultra campaign last year, but it didn’t stop over 100,000 from attending the festival. Since three days of raging can take a physical toll on the body, many UM students took to selling one or two days of their three-day pass to cut costs.
Being located in Miami, Ultra is a favorite for UM students to attend each year since travel costs are minimal. The U’s presence is so dominant at Ultra that you constantly see people throwing up the U on the live screen of Ultra Main Stage. Even people who aren’t students throw it up, maybe because they think the U stands for Ultra but we, Canes, know the real symbolism.
Although Ultra Music Festival is proud to have widened its reach with festivals from South Africa to South Korea, Miami will always be the original and premier location for Ultra with the best line-up and a legacy as a mecca for EDM. Good music and good times can always be found during this magical weekend.
words and photo_ yili wu.