You don’t have to be a big fan of EDM or music festivals at all to love Ultra Music Festival
So, I went to Miami for the first time over spring break, and the amount of nostalgia I am already feeling for that trip is unreal. The main event of our long weekend was Ultra Music Festival, an EDM festival I had always heard so much about. Although I was excited when my friend told me we’d gotten tickets, I couldn’t help but feel some nerves. I had never been to a real music festival before – let alone a rave – and it was just my friend and I navigating a completely new city. On top of that, I don’t typically listen to EDM, so I wasn’t even sure how much I would enjoy the music. But let me tell you, it was probably one of my favorite weekends I have ever had. I think as I was explaining the experience to my mom, I even used the words “life-changing.” Let me dive in and tell you more about my experience at Ultra, because there is a lot to say.
As I alluded to before, I was honestly really nervous leading up to going. To start, before Ultra, I had never really been to an actual music festival. I am from Milwaukee, so my friends and I in high school went to Summerfest every summer, but it is so low-key and casual that it doesn’t necessarily count in my book as a music festival. This felt like a completely different level. Ultra had a reputation for massive crowds, high energy and nonstop music – so, I had no idea what to expect. We didn’t know how the festival worked, what the crowd would be like or how overwhelming it might feel. In fact, we were so unsure that we skipped the first night entirely.
Despite all of our worries, we ended up going Saturday and Sunday, and everything felt surprisingly easy from the start. Everything from the accessible navigation of Bayfront Park, to the lighting and set designs, to the crowd and to the music, everything about it was incredible.
The lines were basically non-existent when we arrived, which made getting in stress-free. We went through security, got our bags checked and suddenly we had full access to Bayfront Park. The layout was simple to navigate, with a smaller stage near the entrance and clear signs leading to the main stages. Right away, it felt way less overwhelming than I thought it would be.
One of the most surprising parts of the weekend was the crowd. It wasn’t what I expected at all – but it ended up being my favorite part of the experience. It was such a relief to feel how safe both my friend and I felt throughout the whole time. The demographic was more diverse, and honestly older than I imagined. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but it actually made the environment feel more relaxed and safe. Not once did I feel too crowded, unsafe or uncomfortable. Instead, it felt like everyone was genuinely looking out for each other. For example, Saturday was incredibly hot. We were fanning ourselves, and within seconds, multiple strangers pulled out their own fans to help cool us down and asked if we were okay. We saw moments like that all weekend – people helping strangers, checking in and making sure everyone was okay. It completely changed my perception of rave culture. Instead of chaos, it felt like a community.
Lastly, and the main event… of course, the music and DJ sets themselves. When I tell you I didn’t have to know a single song on the setlist to still have the absolute best time dancing and just being completely mesmerized by everything about the show in front of me. The light shows were so intense, from strobe lights to lasers shooting out into the Miami sky, it was so cool. And the fire and fireworks? Insane. It felt like every drop was paired with some kind of visual moment, which made it impossible not to get caught up in the energy. It was incredible, and that is mainly why I say I could not have known a single song, and still had the time of my life. And I did.
The first night, I honestly didn’t know a single artist or song that was played, but it was probably my favorite of the two days. We kind of wandered for a while, but then we made our way to the main stage, where DJ Armin Van Buuren was performing. His energy was incredible, he interacted with the crowd, the music was easy to dance to and the visuals were unreal. Even though I didn’t know his songs, it ended up being my favorite set of the weekend. Sunday had more familiar names like DJ Snake and John Summit, which were mesmerizing, of course, but somehow, Saturday still stood out more. There was something about going in with no expectations that made it even better.
I have definitely rambled on for long enough, but the moral of the story is, you don’t have to be a “raver” to love Ultra. You don’t even have to know the music. Ultra was one of the highlights of my life, and I think I am going to watch John Summit on YouTube for years. If I ever get the chance to go again, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second.