Upcoming Ultra Music Festival dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
What Ultra is and when it happens
Ultra Music Festival is a three-day electronic dance music festival held each March, Friday through Sunday, at Bayfront Park on Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami. It coincides with Miami Music Week and the Winter Music Conference, when the city fills with club events and industry parties. The festival's site lists the next edition for March 26 to 28, 2027, at Bayfront Park.
Ultra admits only fans 18 and older, and VIP passes require attendees to be 21 or older. There is no camping and no re-entry, so each day is a single trip in and out. The Main Stage holds about 60,000 people, and the festival counted about 165,000 attendees over three days in 2024.
From a one-day beach party to a global brand
Russell Faibisch, Ray Navarro and Alex Omes founded Ultra in 1999 and named it after Depeche Mode's 1997 album Ultra. The first edition was a one-day event on March 13, 1999, at Collins Park in Miami Beach, with an estimated 10,000 people.
- Venues: Collins Park (1999–2000), Bayfront Park (2001–2005), Bicentennial Park (2006–2011), Bayfront Park again (2012–2018), Virginia Key (2019) and Bayfront Park since 2022. The 2019 Virginia Key edition was poorly received, and the festival returned downtown.
- Format: three days since 2011. For its 15th anniversary in 2013, Ultra ran two weekends with a combined attendance of 330,000.
- Age policy: in September 2014 the festival announced it would stop admitting minors.
- Interruptions: the 2020 and 2021 editions were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 22, 2024, heavy rain, lightning and wind forced Ultra to shut down an entire day for the first time; the show resumed the next afternoon with extended hours.
The brand now runs Ultra Worldwide events on several continents, and DJ Mag's Top 100 Festivals poll ranked Ultra first in 2016 and 2017.
Stages and headliner history
Ultra programs several stages, each with its own identity, so it pays to plan around the stage as much as the name.
- Main Stage carries the biggest mainstream EDM headliners and the largest production.
- Resistance, introduced in 2015, focuses on underground house and techno; Carl Cox's long-running arena was folded into it in 2017.
- A State of Trance, built around Armin van Buuren's radio show, debuted in 2011.
Notable bookings, sampled from the festival's history:
- Early 2000s: Tiësto, Armin van Buuren, Paul van Dyk and Paul Oakenfold.
- 2012: Kraftwerk, Avicii, Skrillex, Justice and Fatboy Slim, plus a surprise appearance by Madonna.
- 2018: Swedish House Mafia closed the festival in their first live appearance as a group since 2013.
- 2023: Swedish House Mafia, Armin van Buuren, Carl Cox, deadmau5 and Kaskade (as kx5), Martin Garrix and Zedd.
- 2026: Eric Prydz, John Summit, Major Lazer, DJ Snake, Boris Brejcha, and Amelie Lens with Sara Landry, among others.
GA vs. VIP passes and how demand behaves
Ultra sells three-day passes, delivered as one wristband for the full weekend. The festival's ticket page for 2027 lists two tiers:
- GA (general admission) covers all three days and every stage, with premium restroom facilities available throughout the venue. It suits most fans, especially those who move between stages.
- VIP adds expedited entry through separate VIP entrances, dedicated restrooms and bars in the VIP Village, an raised Main VIP deck facing the Main Stage, and raised viewing areas at other stages. VIP holders must be 21 or older.
Demand tends to jump when the phase one lineup is announced, usually months ahead, and again as Miami Music Week travel locks in. Because Ultra has no re-entry, VIP is worth more here than at festivals where you can step out for a break: the raised deck and shorter restroom lines are the only respite inside the gates. Each person must activate their own wristband, and the festival does not offer refunds or exchanges. Every GoodSeats order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
Getting to Bayfront Park
Bayfront Park sits at 301 Biscayne Boulevard, on the bay side of downtown Miami. Downtown parking is scarce and expensive during the festival, so most attendees use transit.
- Metromover, the free automated people mover, loops through downtown and Brickell and stops near the park.
- Metrorail connects downtown with neighborhoods to the north and south, with transfers to Metromover.
- Metrobus routes also serve downtown.
- Rideshare and walking work well from hotels in downtown and Brickell; expect heavy congestion at the end of each night.
Staying in downtown or Brickell keeps you within walking or Metromover distance, which matters because you cannot leave and come back. Miami Beach hotels mean a longer ride over the causeways each day.
Bag rules, age checks and what to bring
The policies below are from Ultra's security page and help center as of 2026. Check the festival's current rules before you go.
- Age and ID: 18 and older only, with valid ID; 21 and older to drink and to enter on a VIP pass.
- Bags: only clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags no larger than 13 by 17 inches, plus a small hand-sized clutch. Backpacks are not allowed.
- Hydration packs that are not backpacks are allowed, but any extra compartment large enough to hold a paperback book will be refused.
- Prohibited: weapons of any kind, including pocket knives and self-defense sprays, and illegal drugs or paraphernalia.
- Re-entry: none. Camping and overnight attendance are not permitted.
March in Miami is warm and humid with a real chance of rain, so bring sunscreen, earplugs, a light rain layer that fits the bag rules and a charged phone. See the Ultra security policies for the full list.
Frequently asked questions
How old do you have to be to attend Ultra Music Festival?
Ultra is 18 and older only, with valid ID. VIP passes require attendees to be 21 or older, and you must be 21 to drink.
When is Ultra Music Festival 2027?
The festival's site lists March 26 to 28, 2027, at Bayfront Park in downtown Miami.
Can you leave Ultra and come back?
No. As of 2026, Ultra's security policy does not allow re-entry, camping or overnight attendance.
What bags are allowed at Ultra?
As of 2026, clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags up to 13 by 17 inches and a small hand-sized clutch are allowed. Backpacks are not, though hydration packs that are not backpacks are.
Where is Ultra Music Festival held?
Ultra is held at Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Boulevard, in downtown Miami. It has been there since 2022 and was also there in 2001 to 2005 and 2012 to 2018.