Is ULTRA the biggest Music Festival in Miami?
Miami is famous for its rich music scene, numerous cultural events, and exciting festivals. The Ultra Music Festival has grown into a global conglomerate, drawing electronic followers worldwide. So, is Ultra Miami's biggest music festival? To answer this question, let’s explore its history, significance and impact.
Partial History of Ultra Music Festival
1999: Ultra Music Festival (UMF) started by Russell Faibisch and Alex Omes First taking place in Miami Beach, the event grew too large and popular for its other original home, its next space was on South Beach. By 2001, Ultra had moved to Bayfront Park in Downtown Miami, where it has mostly stayed ever since4. Ultra has transformed from a one-date event to a three-days experience of the biggest acts in electronic dance music (EDM) over the years.
Ultra has seen some of the most memorable performances from the likes of Avicii, Swedish House Mafia, Carl Cox and Tiësto. It also served as the site of boundary pushing back to future performances, including Carl Cox’s “Evolution” tour and Anyma’s B2B debut with Solomun14.
Attendance and Recognition
With attendance numbers frequently exceeding 165,000 annually4, Ultra consistently attracts huge numbers. As a bonus, in 2013, when the 15th anniversary was celebrated on two weekends, an amazing total of 330,000 people attended the festival4. Such attendance solidifies Ultra among Miami’s biggest event.
In the meantime, Ultra has also bagged many awards throughout the years. It has been recognized by DJ Magazine as one of the best festivals in the world several times, and has also won awards for its sustainability efforts24. These accomplishments underscore its clout as much as its reach on the global music scene.
Economic Impact
Ultra isn’t just music; it’s big business for Miami. The festival has generated almost $1 billion in economic activity for the city since 2012.4 On Ultra weekend, hotels, restaurants, and local businesses do well as attendees flock to Miami from all over the world. This economic lift also highlights Ultra’s value to Miami.
Featured in: Other Major Music Festivals in Miami
While Ultra is certainly massive, Miami features a number of other high-profile music festivals aimed at diverse audiences:
Miami Music Week: In tandem with Ultra, this boisterous bash includes hundreds of parties and performances in venues throughout Miami.
III Points Festival: Arts and music focused multi-genre fest.
Jazz in the Gardens: Celebrating jazz and R&B with a soulful vibe.
Rolling Loud: The world’s largest hip-hop festival has a home in Miami, too.
Well, all these festivals hold their own unique charm and attract huge crowds. None, however, can top the global reach and sheer scale of Ultra for electronic music.
Safety and Sustainability Efforts
Ultra is more than just a music festival; it is dedicated to keeping its attendees safe and taking care of the environment. To provide safety for everybody, the festival uses things like observation cameras and on-the-ground officers1 In addition, Ultra has earned accolades for its sustainability initiatives, and received the World Sustainability Award for store footprint reduction environment measures2.
Final Verdict: Is Ultra the Best of the Best?
In terms of attendance, worldwide notoriety, economic impact and cultural importance, it’s a no-brainer that the Ultra Music Festival is Miami’s biggest music festival. Its ability to draw from the best talents and fans the world over secures it on the cutting edge of Miami’s music scene.
Ultra may be king of the mountain in terms of size and scope in the world of electronic music, but, for festivals that cater to a different demographic like Rolling Loud, it’s a different story. In the end, the question of whether Ultra is the biggest comes down to how you define “biggest” — attendance figures alone, or overall influence.
This is also for anyone else that might be hitting up Ultra or any other big events in Miami lately, as not just your travel needs planning…but also your abode is primed up for when you get back from your final festival date to unwind! That is where services such as Sparkly Maid Miami come in, providing you with professional cleaning solutions to get your apartment back in tip-top shape after a fantastic weekend.
Post-Festival Recovery
Jumping around all day through three days of fast-paced sets of Ultra or other festivals in Miami, there is no better treat to come home to than a clean space. Professional services make all the difference, whether with a deep cleaner for a thorough, deep clean, or an apartment cleaner for regular maintenance.
Having reputable cleaning services to help you prepare for these exciting events keeps you from having to worry about cleaning up.
