Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Key Biscayne tells Miami it does not want Ultra Music Festival
Key Biscayne has a message for Ultra Musical Festival and Miami — not in our backyard.
The village of Key Biscayne posted a video on its Facebook page against bringing the electronic music festival to Virginia Key in advance of an expected Miami City Commission vote scheduled for Thursday.
Miami is considering two possible venues at Virginia Key, part of the city that borders Key Biscayne, for the popular festival.
In September, Ultra became homeless after Miami commissioners voted down a contract to keep the festival in Bayfront Park, its home since 2001.
Narrated by Key Biscayne mayor-elect Michael Davey, the village’s Facebook video cites traffic concerns on the Rickenbacker Causeway which is the only roadway into Virginia Key and Key Biscayne from Miami — as well as environmental issues that the festival could bring to Virginia Key.
“To be clear, we don’t oppose music festivals. What we oppose is the destruction of the environment in Virginia Key,” Davey says in the video, noting “the traffic nightmare this will create in Coconut Grove, The Roads, Brickell, downtown and yes, Key Biscayne.”
He added, “Virginia Key and its surrounding parks are the crown jewels of the county. It’s just the wrong place for Ultra.”
Davey also noted that the village is in contact with Miami and Miami-Dade “in an attempt to amicably stave off this potential safety, environmental and traffic disaster.”
The festival has drawn thousands of revelers dressed in tutus and other colorful outfits from around the world to Bayfront Park to hear electronic dance music each year. The festival first launched in Miami Beach in 1999 before expanding to Miami.
It became known for its large crowds, traffic snarls and loud music and revelry, something that prompted downtown deni-
zens to launch complaints about the use of Bayfront Park for large music festivals.
In 2014, a security guard was seriously injured after being trampled by people trying to get through a fence at the festival, according to The Miami Herald. And in 2016, a University of Miami student died from complications of a seizure after attending the first day of the festival. However, in the past three years, the event has not had any major controversies or incidents, according to the newspaper.
Ultra representatives told the paper this week that they welcome an “open-minded and goodfaith dialogue” with Davey and other Key Biscayne officials.
The festival is scheduled for March 29, 30 and 31 next year.