The annual trek to the outskirts of Bayfront Park each late March always leaves me with the conviction that the weekend spent in downtown Miami surpasses many previous years. Although a hint of recency bias may seep in, this impression following Ultra’s 25th anniversary weekend has never felt truer.

To commemorate its quarter-century milestone, Ultra assembled what many, including myself, regarded as its most impressive artist lineup in the past decade, at least on paper. This extensive array of unmissable performances — 15 of which I wanted to highlight ahead of time — inevitably led to several stressful decision-making moments for me and the 50,000 daily attendees, but ultimately translated into a reality of unparalleled Ultra excellence throughout March 28, 29, and 30.

First and foremost, I must express my appreciation for Richard Milstein, the mastermind behind Ultra’s annual stage designs. Expectations were high for Milstein and his REDNOIR creative team to craft a mainstage design that could rival some of Ultra’s most iconic layouts since 2013. They succeeded, delivering what I believe to be Ultra’s most impressive mainstage structure since the 2016 masterpiece, along with top-notch production at both the MegaStructure and Worldwide stages.

Now, let’s delve into the weekend itself. I could easily transform this article into a lengthy thesis covering every outstanding moment (individual set recaps are available on Dancing Astronaut’s Instagram to assist with that), but I’ll refrain from further incoherent musings. The time spent over three days at Bayfront Park — from the opening act Miss Monique at the MegaStructure to Alesso reuniting Ultra with the greatest song ever, culminating with Martin Garrix’s grand finale on Sunday — created some of the most unforgettable memories I’ve accumulated over nearly a decade of March trips to Miami. I must specifically acknowledge the three-and-a-half-hour sequence that solidified day two in Ultra’s hall of fame. The progression from Axwell, who performed solo for the first time at Ultra, to Skrillex, making his return to Bayfront Park after a decade, and finally to Hardwell, who closed Saturday’s mainstage with one of his legendary sets, was a true masterclass in performance. When asked which artist was my favorite of the weekend, I simply cannot separate the brilliance of the second half of March 29 at Bayfront Park.

While there is a strong consensus that 2025 stands as an edition that can hold its own against treasured Ultra moments like 2013 or 2016, there is always room for enhancement as we look forward to the 26th anniversary. A primary point of feedback is that Ultra must address the bottleneck entry issue for general admission, as extensive lines formed at various points throughout the weekend. Once attendees made it to the second step of entry, some noted that security appeared a bit too relaxed, leading to a sea of tall flag poles — explicitly listed in Ultra’s prohibited items — from fans who conveniently chose to stand front and center. Instead of the usual battle against fan clackers, it was the flag poles in 2025 that consistently obstructed views of the mainstage from any angle on the dance floor.

For the second consecutive year, we were not fortunate enough to enjoy optimal weather throughout the weekend, as a thunderstorm led to a temporary festival shutdown on early Sunday afternoon. After Ultra displayed an evacuation message on its mainstage screen, confusion arose regarding the status of festival entry and stage closures. It wasn’t until a few hours later that Ultra communicated the news of an extended evening by an hour and an updated schedule, despite a few real-time scheduling changes — such as Kaskade and Steve Aoki swapping slots — already occurring.

However, in the grand scheme, these comments are merely minor blips in an otherwise seamless anniversary celebration in downtown Miami.

Even after 25 years of operation, the anniversary reaffirmed one thing for certain: Ultra is my favorite place on Earth.

By continuing to deliver a remarkable record of performances, designing world-class stage productions, maximizing the stunning setting of Bayfront Park, and integrating every other element that contributes to its essence, the weekend provided the dance music world with a front-row seat to Ultra Music Festival at its finest.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Ultra, the production team, the staff, the crew, and everyone else who comes together to make this festival possible each and every March.

Featured image: Alive Coverage

Tags: ultra

Categories: Features, Festivals