Make Ultra Music Festival Miami a 21+ event

March 28th, 29th and 30th of 2014 marked the 16th year for the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Florida. This three day celebration that closes out the annual Winter Music Conference has been a longtime staple for the Miami music world. It's popularity has allowed it to grow from a humble one day celebration on the beach to the much larger version held in downtown Miami we know today.

Unfortunately, all of the great things and meanings behind this festival are becoming overshadowed by a very sad reputation. This event is ALL AGES meaning anyone can attend and for the past few years, whenever people say "Ultra Music Festival" the next thing they think is "playground for children" and "immature disaster". The world of EDM is under a gigantic microscope right now and every event, every action made by festival goers are being reported and watched VERY closely. Granted, there will never be a perfect target age range of people, but making the age limit a strict 21+ for this event would greatly improve the general quailty and attitude of the festival and provide for a more mature fan experience.

There are reasons that high schools and elementary schools are seperated, why night clubs set a minimum age at 18, and why we are not allowed to drive a car until we turn 16. There are many places that younger children do not quite belong, and Ultra Music Festival should be one of them. It's hard for ANY young adult to be put in a stuation with people much older than themselves and be expected to behave in an appropriate manner. Epscially in a festival, club-like environment. And nothing says "club-like party" more than a music festival in the heart of downtown Miami. Why wouldn't the owners want to keep it more exclusive and adult? This should most certainly be an instance where quaility of experience is valued much more than quantity of experience and tickets sold. This festival should not be taking everyone in the door just because they can. This is sadly how Ultra is viewed right now and why it has the problems that it does today.

Ultra is on the edge of a breaking point and something has to give. Between the location of the festival itself, constantly rising ticket prices and a "school kid" attendee feel, change has to start somewhere. One of it's competing companies in the festival world; ID&T, has a strict 21+ age limit for all of their events and people have nothing but good things to say about that rule. Those few years in age make a world of difference. So it has been done before, and it CAN be done here with success. Especially when so many people have asked for it year after year.

Let's do what we can do bring back the great reputation Ultra once had. We don't want to bring this festival down, we only want to make it better.