Richard Milstein

A proper recap from Alleined year 1 at @ultra — 2026 felt like a return to Ultra’s peak form: three days of unmissable sets, surprises that reawakened Ultra’s “expect the unexpected” mantra, and (mostly) clear skies. Ultra’s 25th anniversary set the standard as a defining post-pandemic edition, leaving 2026 with real expectations to meet. Naturally, it rose to the occasion, powered by a world-class lineup with over 50 Ultra debuts that made the billing feel fresher than ever. Riding the high of my first two days in Miami at @FactoryTown_ and @stmpdrcrds’ pool party, Friday had undeniable potential on paper, and it exceeded it. A run of @massanomusic, @worship_artists, @ILLENIUM, @Skrillex x @bizarrap, @Alesso x @MartinGarrix, and @ericprydz somehow dethroned 2025’s Saturday as the most memorable Ultra day I’ve had in eight years of attending. My lone callout, like last year: the tall flag poles (despite them being on Ultra’s banned items list) that repeatedly clogged up the mainstage view, though security seemingly cleaned that up the next two days. Saturday continued the momentum, opening with @Halo__ofc on the mainstage and closing with @Ingrosso x @SteveAngello. The latter would turn into the weekend’s crowning moment and a historic addition to Ultra’s timeline: a SHM reunion with Eric Prydz, two decades in the making. By Sunday, the weekend had firmly cemented itself, with standout sets from @artbatmusic, @weareparisi, and @BB_BORISBREJCHA before @johnsummit delivered a full-circle mainstage closing four years after seeing him at The Cove. Aside from an early drizzle, the weather maintained perfection all weekend, a much-needed redemption after the storms in 2024 and 2025. While music is always in the driver’s seat at Ultra, its production consistently elevates it (shoutout to @richmilstein as always). The 2026 mainstage design ranked among my favorites alongside 2014, 2016, and 2025, while a new MegaStructure frame (likely to combat any possible rain) provided more crowd space, though sound quality suffered at times. Despite any of those minor notes mentioned, nothing could have possibly taken away from my overall experience. Ultra 2026 captured everything that makes Bayfront Park my favorite place on Earth: three days that delivered at every level, and the kind of festival weekend that has kept me coming back since 2016. Thank you @ultra for year 8. Until March 2027. ✍️ @rossgldnbrg