Beginning with the March 2015 iteration, Ultra Music Festival will now only allow those aged 18 years and older to attend the event. “While we sincerely value the incredible ongoing support from our younger fans, we ultimately believe that Ultra Music Festival is a premium event geared towards adults. This decision has been made to reinforce and promote the safety of all Ultra Music Festival fans and to ensure the overall enjoyment of all future attendees. We are extremely grateful for all the support we have received from our younger fan base to date and we encourage them to attend the festival once they reach the appropriate age. Until then, our free YouTube stream ULTRA LIVE is available worldwide for everyone, all ages to enjoy and to share in the Ultra experience.”
Newly hired Ultra Music Festival Security Director and former Miami Beach Police Chief Ray Martinez, further expressed his optimism towards the decision:
“The first step to having fun is feeling safe,” Martinez said, “We have chosen to adopt several new measures during next year’s festival to ensure our event is safe and secure. The first step to preserving the unique atmosphere that Ultra is famous for is to be proactive in attracting the right crowd.”
In other words, due to not being able to control the intake of narcotics or alcohol by the attendees and either ongoing, or the threat of serious litigation by underage usage, Ultra is making these changes.
The Future: Hiring Martinez was another way to politically avoid unnecessary scrutiny. Savvy.
