MIAMI (WSVN) - The massive Miami Music Week is set to end with a bang — with pulsating techno beats, large crowds and traffic headaches.
Ultra Music Festival 2026 is officially underway. Thousands of ravers soaked in the musical magic under the Miami night sky.
DJs like Alesso, Martin Garix and Skrillex hit the stage on Friday night, bringing 305-style beats.
“Every single DJ that comes out every year has been amazing,” said a raver.
Many of those that attended called night one something special.
“It’s the place to be!” said eventgoer Justin Gelcensky.
“It’s so much fun. I had a lot of fun,” said eventgoer Sydney.
Festival officials said nearly 150,000 ravers from around the world will pack Bayfront Park this weekend, turning downtown Miami into a dance floor.
“Honestly, it’s inexplicable. It’s something that I can’t describe!” said a fan.
And while Friday’s weather was nearly perfect for night one, the City of Miami released a statement ahead of the not-so-sunny weekend forecast:
“In the event of severe weather delays, the Ultra Music Festival will be permitted to remain open one hour past normal closing time.”
But eventgoers say rain doesn’t stop a party.
“It’s been raining every Sunday for the past three years, so we’re hoping it doesn’t rain this Sunday,” said a person.
Hours earlier, barricades lined Biscayne Boulevard and crews at Bayfront Park went through final sound checks.
“Every time Ultra comes around, it’s like insane,” said downtown resident Martin Nelson.
Ravers who flew into Miami to be part of the fun said they were ready for a weekend filled with DJ sets across seven stages: the Main Stage, the Worldwide Stage, the RESISTANCE Megastructure, the Cove, the Live stage, UMF Radio and the Oasis Stage.
“It’s more about the vibes that we’re going to live here,” an attendee told 7News Thursday night.
Friday morning, attendee Nicolette Waldman shared who she’s really excited to see perform.
“I’m really excited for Martin Garrix tonight. We’re going back-to-back with Alesso,” she said.
Attendee Raymond Humani said this is his third year at Ultra and he loves the festival.
“Living the moment. We’re here now. Ultra 2026!” he said. “The energy, the talent they bring– the talent is insane, always every year in Ultra.”
The EDM festival has been around for years, bringing the party and the vibes to the center of the Magic City.
It also brings a whole lot of traffic, too. Here’s what drivers need to know:
- Northbound traffic along Biscayne Boulevard northbound is being rerouted to the southbound lanes at Southeast First Street, returning to normal traffic flow at Northeast Fourth Street.
- Southbound traffic along Biscayne Boulevard is being rerouted westbound at Northeast Sixth Street, with the option to continue southbound via Northeast Second Avenue or North Miami Avenue.
Ultra isn’t the only major event taking place in town Friday, so drivers across Miami and Miami Beach are advised to leave early, plan accordingly and pack their patience.
Just down the road at the Kaseya Center, Latin rock band Maná will be performing Friday and Saturday nights.
Over at loanDepot Park, the Miami Marlins are set to take on the Colorado Rockies in their season opener Friday night.
To top it all off, President Donald Trump is scheduled to touch down at Miami International Airport right around prime-time rush hour traffic. The commander in chief will be attending an event at the Faena Hotel in Miami Beach, leading to even more closures and slowdowns all along his path.
“I can’t leave my house; I feel trapped,” said Nelson. “Like, you can’t get in your car, you can’t drive. The traffic – you can’t get in your building, you just have to walk everywhere, like there’s no Ubers.”
Many in downtown Miami told 7News that the best way to approach festival weekend is to embrace the chaos.
“We have a train, we have trolleys, we have Ubers, we can – you know, they can walk, so we can adjust,” said a woman who lives nearby.
“Hydrate, of course. Have meet up spots, have a whole plan set up in case you split up from your group, but most of all have fun!” said Humani.
The festival has caused quite the headache for area residents in years past — not just because of the traffic jams, but also the inevitable loud noise.
“It would be best for Ultra to move to – where’s that Freedom Park, or whatever the development is? Because it is very noisy” said a man who lives nearby.
Others said they are excited to enjoy the show from home.
“Perfect view. I don’t have to spend $1,000 to buy a ticket,” said the woman who lives nearby.
“And then the whole ceiling, it’s like lights, ’cause no matter what you do, you can’t black it out,” said Nelson. “You’re just going to hear it all day, you just gotta embrace it.”
But despite all the chaos, Martin is somewhat excited about this year’s lineup.
“Steve Aoki? OK, it’s lit. Now I’m gonna watch it,” he said.
Organizers said they are expecting more than 150,000 people to attend this year’s festival.
“Have fun,” said a festivalgoer.
“And wear comfy shoes,” said Waldman.
Nelson also has some words of advice.
“Bring Ultra, bring all the festivals — I’m cool with that — but keep it clean, keep it peaceful, and that’s it. Protect everybody,” he said.
Meantime, 100 Miami Fire Rescue firefighters made their way to Bayfront Park in time for the music festival.
Fire crews are equipped with first aid kits and other gadgets to facilitate fun but keeping it safe.
“We’ll have firefighters, paramedics on foot, bicycle. We’ll have event scooters, rescue scooters and event rescues throughout the entire event so that we can expedite quickly to help these people that need assistance,” said Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Pete Sanchez.
The Miami Police Department has a comprehensive document detailing the various traffic patterns impacting residents in the downtown area during the festival. To learn more, click here.
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