Did Ultra Finally Get Its Act Together?

Ultra Music Festival in Miami has gotten a bad rap in recent years for overuse of drugs (remember the girl who made out with a tree?), deaths, massive numbers of arrests, hospitalizations, accidents and all sorts of disorder, largely amongst younger age brackets. This year was reportedly more tame, with multiple articles actually detailing a “smoother weekend” for the festival for the first time in some years.

Could it be because the festival finally implemented an 18+ age restriction? Previously all ages were welcome on the grounds, which may have been a recipe for disaster. This year’s festival-goers reported a “better vibe” and said the weekend’s festivities were “more chill.”

Last year a 28-year-old security guard, Erica Mack, was crushed underneath a gate that hopeful (and crazy) attendees had stampeded in order to attempt to get in without paying, landing her in critical condition. There were a whole slew of other incidents involved deaths, brawls, visible drug and alcohol abuse and over-the-top numbers of arrests, which led Miami Commissioner Mike Sarnoff to push for the festival’s relocation out of Miami. Though he was unsuccessful, it appears that the festival may have kept its promise to clean up its act.

Miami Dade Fire Rescue considers unseasonably cooler temperatures and the 18-and-up policy responsible for noticeably fewer hospital runs and no severe situations this year.

Security measures have been ramped up as well. Changes include an increase in police and fire rescue presence, the deployment of festival ambassadors to assist attendees, and the same stronger fencing that was used for the Miami ePrix race downtown in March.