Ultra Music Festival to begin welcoming EDM fans to Bayfront Park — with security measures and road closures in place – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

MIAMI (WSVN) – The massive Miami Music Week is set to end with a bang — with pulsating techno beats, large crowds and traffic headaches.

Barricades lined Biscayne Boulevard early Friday morning, and crews at Bayfront Park went through final sound checks, hours before the 2026 Ultra Music Festival begins welcoming electronic dance music fans from all around the world to downtown Miami.

Ravers who flew into Miami to be part of the fun said they’re 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.

The festival is not only bringing the vibes to the Magic City, but 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.

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.

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 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.

Organizers said they are expecting more than 150,000 people to attend this year’s festival.

In addition to Ultra, there will be concerts at Kaseya Center on Friday and Saturday. The season’s first game for the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park will also take place Friday night, so city officials and organizers advise drivers to pack their patience.

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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