Ultra Music Festival Moved To Virginia Key

Ultra Music Festival will call Virginia Key its new home in 2019. The electronic dance music festival, a Miami-born event that has grown into an industry and global brand over two decades, has a new contract to hold the three-day event on Virginia Key March 29-31, 2019.

Miami commissioners voted on Thursday in favor of an agreement with the Ultra Music Festival that will allow around 150,000 fans to descend to Virginia Key. The festival also agreed to pay a guaranteed $2 million to the city under a licensing agreement to hold the three-day event. During a meeting at City Hall in Coconut Grove, commissioners voted 4-1. The festival had the support of Commissioners Willy Gort, Joe Carollo, Manolo Reyes and Keon Hardemon.

In a statement, Miami City Manager Emilio Gonzalez said their decision “keeps this world-renowned event in our global city, while providing operating funds for a long-desired African American History Museum at Historic Virginia Key Beach.”

Critics, on the other hand fear huge traffic jams on the Rickenbacker Causeway — the only road used to get on and off Key Biscayne. There are also concerns from environmental activists who worry about loud noise harming wildlife and captive research animals on Virginia Key.

By: Maytinee Kramer