The organizers of Ultra Music Festival have confirmed that the Miami gathering will not take place in 2021 due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. In a move likely to give would-be attendees deja vu from last year, they have promised ticket holder upgrades in place of offering refunds.
The Ultra team confirmed in a public statement what Billboard reported last month based on a leaked letter. “Given the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic, in relation to mass gatherings and public health considerations, we’re deeply saddened to be forced to reschedule Ultra Music Festival to March 25th, 26th, and 27th, 2022,” reads part of the statement. “All valid tickets will be honored. Terms and conditions apply.”
According to an email sent out to ticket holders, all general admission attendees will be automatically upgraded to a brand-new tier called “Premium General Admission.” Included in the package are a dedicated entrance, exclusive lounge area, and air-conditioned bathrooms, among other perks.
No mention was made of partial or full refunds in either communication.
More on Ultra Music Festival
Ultra Music Festival debuted in 1999 at Collins Park in Miami Beach. The gathering, which consistently bills the world’s most famous electronic music acts, relocated to Bayfront Park in 2001, where it remained for the majority of its lifetime. In 2019, ongoing noise and disruption complaints led the City of Miami to downvote Ultra’s contract to return to Bayfront, leading organizers to relocate to Virginia Key.
Ultra was slated to return to Bayfront in 2020 before the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic triggered a festival collapse of which the gathering was an early casualty. Whereas the organizers of festivals like Coachella and Movement Electronic Music Festival offered refunds, those of Ultra promised credit to either the 2021 or 2022 edition of the event.
Read Ultra Music Festival’s full statement via Facebook.
