Ultra Music Festival 2024 Shuts Down Temporarily Due to Inclement Weather

Ultra Music Festival’s organizers asked attendees to vacate the grounds on Friday evening.

Update, Saturday, March 22, 3:30pm ET: After spending much of the morning and afternoon mulching the event grounds, Ultra Music Festival has announced that doors will open today at 4pm. Night two of the festival will be extended and will include a performance by Hardwell as well as others who had been scheduled for night one.

Update, Friday, March 22, 10:30pm ET: Ultra Music Festival’s organizers have announced that the festival will remain shut down for the rest of the evening.

Previously: Thousands of revelers who flocked to Bayfront Park for Ultra Music Festival 2024 were forced to improvise their plans tonight, March 22. Due to lightning storms and strong winds, organizers had to vacate the grounds on the first night of the three-day festival.

Ultra had gotten off to a dubious start, with rainstorms leaving puddles so large that attendees could be seen avoiding broad swaths in front of the mainstage. Then, at 9pm local time, organizers sent out a mass text announcing that the festival was temporarily shutting down and asking attendees to calmly exit the park.

“Due to circumstances beyond our control, we regret to notify you that the park must be temporarily cleared,” read a message displayed on LED screens throughout the festival grounds. “For your safety, please gather your belongings and proceed to the nearest exit in an orderly manner. We hope to be able to reopen the park again soon and continue the event. We are sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for your cooperation.”

Ultra Music Festival 2024 rain screen message

Weather concerns had overshadowed Ultra days before the event even began as weather forecasters predicted heavy rain, storms and flooding. Earlier in the day, Nicole Moudaber‘s In The Mood Miami event at the Kimpton Surfcomber Hotel was forced to start late due to lightning storms.

It remains to be seen whether Ultra Music Festival will resume operations later in the evening. If not, attendees will miss out on performances by Hardwell, Amelie Lens, FISHER b2b Chris Lake, Zeds Dead, Armin van Buuren b2b Oliver Heldens, and Tak Shak, among others.

This is a developing story and EDM Identity will update you as more information becomes available.