The Ultra Music Festival 2019 hosted headliners such as Deadmou5, The Chainsmokers, Illenium, Galantis, Tiesto, Alesso, David Guetta, Skrillex, and Marshmallow. The venue hosted an upwards of 165,000 people this year. Each day consisted of at least 12 hours of headbanging EDM with four stages on the main island to choose from. The sets were elaborate and had stacks of helium tanks to fuel the pillars of fire that erupted to the beat of the base. There were water fountains on stage that dancers performed in and hundreds of screens surrounding the DJs.
This was the first year the venue was hosted on the island Virginia Key, instead of on the mainland of Florida in Miami. Uber access was turned off, so people either had to walk off the island (which was around 3 miles) or wait in longgggg lines for a shuttle to take you to the airport or a bus station. The first two days, the shuttles proved to be a catastrophe. They were delayed, drivers had wrong locations, and some festival goers did not make it back to their hotels until 8am. This process was repeatedly compared to the infamous and disastrous Fyre festival. However, the shuttles ran smoothly the third (and final) day.
Food and water were also a huge issue at the event. There was minimal food offered at the venue, and what was offered was insanely expensive (i.e. it was around $15 for a hot dog). There were also no water fountains to fill reusable water bottles and the waters that were sold were an upwards of $5 per half bottle (hello pollution!!). It is understandable that the festival wanted to make a revenue off of food and water, but since it was held on an island with the nearest food place a 3 mile walk away, there should have been some leniency.
However, each DJ had an amazing set that made up for the aforementioned poor circumstances. There were rarely any technical difficulties (except during Deadmou5, who ended up whipping a microphone across the stage in a fit of rage) and this is a commendable task for a technology-based music festival of this proportion. The screens behind the DJs projected elaborate pictures and videos that only enhanced the effect of the beats. Deadmou5 revealed himself to the public for the first time. He usually performs wearing a light up mouse head, similar to that of Mickey Mouse, but Ultra served as his worldwide debut. The crowd went crazy and was ecstatic at his reveal, which only made his performance even better.
Festival outfits showcased all of the hottest trends. There were fishnet biker shorts, platform shoes, disco crop tops, neon cargo pants, and of course, glitter galore. There were gems glued to the faces of almost every other person you passed. The best part of the crowd’s outfits were the looks of excitement and joy on their faces. Although the themes of the outfits were similar to some extent, they were all different and unique and showcased people’s individual styles. Funky sunglasses, colored fishnets, crazy hairstyles, and even outfits resembling bathing suites all made an appearance. I, personally, got my festival outfits at Forever 21, Fashion Nova, and H&M (with Superga shoes on the last day).
All in all, the event was a huge success. The crowd was pleased with the amazing music, and even got to witness a first time debut of some brand-new tracks by up and coming artists. I personally left each night completely exhausted, but was amazed by the artists’ performances and craved more. I would highly recommend this music festival for any person who enjoys the chaos of festival seasons, but would warn those who are new to the festival scene, as it can be very overwhelming.