Thousands of Patrons Sent Home from Ultra Music Festival Miami Due to Severe Weather

The first day of the 2024 Ultra Music Festival (UMF) has temporarily shut down due to lightening and rain according to Festival promoters.

The annual outdoor event which is scheduled for March 22-24 announced via their social media that all person should “leave the park calmly” in light of the weather.

Thousands of patrons braved the rain to attend the top The Electronic Dance Music event in the city and it started early Friday without a glitch but as the day progressed, the city of Miami experienced severe flooding on and a Tornado Watch is in effect for all of South Florida.

South Florida is expecting heavy rain, potentially reaching three to five inches, with some areas receiving up to six inches. This could impact various events including a Miami Heat game at the covered Kaseya Center, the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium, the Florida Renaissance Festival at Quiet Waters Park, and Miami-Dade’s Youth Fair at the Fairgrounds. The rain may lead to delays or cancellations for outdoor events on into Saturday.

Meanwhile Ultra was founded in 1999 by Russell Faibisch and Alex Omes at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami, attracting large crowds and generating significant economic impact for the city. The festival expanded to three days in 2011 and has seen record attendance, with a peak of 155,000 people in 2012.

It was suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 but resumed in 2022. UMF coincides with the Winter Music Conference and Miami Music Week, and although it shares a name with Ultra Records, founded by Patrick Moxley, they are separate entities. Ultra has also spawned international franchises under the Ultra Worldwide brand, with events in various countries.

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