They call the Electronic Music festival “Ultra” for a reason. It is Ultra huge, Ultra loud, Ultra hot, and absolutely Ultra amazing. In the United States one doesn’t usually find a bigger electronic three-day event than Ultra. It is the opportunity to see some of the biggest names on the electronic scene and get great exposure to the newest and hottest tracks out there. But an event this big means attendees need to make plans.
There are the basics, like where to stay and how to get to and from the venue. Ultra is a huge endeavor due to its enormous size and the fact that it is an all-day event. On Saturday and Sunday, the first DJs go on at noon and stop spinning at midnight and 11 p.m. respectively. This means: be prepared!
Stay Hydrated
This is the number one advice you will hear from anyone who has been to Ultra. Miami is one hot town (and I don’t say that just because it’s one sexy town), the sun comes out in full force – as strong as those guys you see at the gym lifting weights as big as their heads. When you’re in the sun for at least 6 hours and jumping around, dancing to the bass and beats, your body is going to need replenishing. Water is just a necessary expense.
Try to eat as well as you can
Graham Nicholson, who has been to Ultra twice, advises, “Bring sunglasses, eat before going, and say no to drugs.”
Try to at least have a big breakfast before you go. Ultra is a workout. There’s at least twelve hours of dancing at different stages and too much fun to be had with your friends, so you need all the energy you can get from whatever delectable eats you can get.
Pack your vitamins
Eating as well as you can and staying hydrated will help your body keep up with the long hours of running around the venue to catch your favorite DJs, but your body could use a little extra help from vitamins. A multivitamin can replenish what your body loses in all the chaotic activity.
By the end of the night, you’ll probably be exhausted. The toll this can take on your body leaves your immune system vulnerable to getting sick. Give your body the extra help to stay healthy.
Be prepared to not see every DJ
It is impossible to see a full set from every DJ you might want to see. Especially with a festival of about 165,000 people, it could take a full five minutes to move thirty feet through a walkway (this is no exaggeration, this is personal experience talking). Check out the schedule beforehand and focus on who you want to see. Then be prepared to leave every set at least ten minutes earlier to get to the next DJ.
Brandon McMillan, who experienced his second year at Ultra, said, “When faced with a tough choice at Ultra, forget it, just do it.”
Take into the venue only what you need
Pack lightly. Backpacks were not allowed into the venue, only smaller bags. This is for security reasons. Besides that, you’ll be dancing all night long. Why let a heavy bag bring you down? Keep it down to the necessities.
Protect yourself from the sun
Remember, it’s Miami. Reapply your sunscreen when you can, or try to stay in the shade if possible. Ultra can go from noon to midnight. For 6 of those hours, you’ll be under the pressure of the sun. Sunscreen is one thing you should never forget.
Ultra is an incredible experience. It’s an expansive amount of people flocking together in one park because they love electronic music. It’s about feeling the bass seeping into the ground and the beats slicing through the air, and spending time with your friends, who are just as dirty as sweaty as you once the sun goes down. Making it through the day is like an adventure quest to brush with musical genius. Electronic music makes the man-made beautiful. There isn’t much natural sound in an electronic track. Ultra is like a celebration of humanity, of what we can create. Through the exhaustion of partying hard for three full days and nights, the beautiful moments of being caught up in the grasp of the music with some of the people you love is worth everything. My first year was truly amazing.
Josh Goldstein, who has been to Ultra four years, said for all those wanting to go to Ultra, “Good luck, stay hydrated, and just feel the love of the music.”
Photo credit: Macarena Lorenzetti & Michael Abelove.