Ultra’s venue woes continue with cease and desist from Rapture Electronic Music Festival

When Ultra Music Festival (UMF) was booted from its longtime home inside downtown Miami’s Bayfront Park, festival organizers proposed a move to the neighboring Virginia Key Beach Park. The proposition came with a whole new set of challenges, which until this point had seemingly been worked through with city officials. With the official line-up already naming the venue as its official location, it looks as though the battle is far from over.

In a somewhat expected plot twist, Ultra has been issued a cease and desist from Rapture Electronic Music Festival, who’ve hosted their two day event on the historic island since 2017. The house and techno-centric event demanded that Ultra cease applying for permits on the island for its 2019 iteration. Despite Rapture’s agreement with the city to host their event on Virginia Key for three more years, Ultra has gone ahead with full plans to host its globally scaled event with the promise to reduce environmental impact on the historic park.

However, Rapture has the help of environmental scientists and activists on its side. Scientists from the University of Miami have noted that sound disturbances from Ultra’s production could threaten marine life around the Virginia Keys, with activists heading that precautions are necessary to protect the birds and manatees in the wetlands.

With both festivals slated to take place on the same weekend, March 29-31, no agreement has been made between the two competing festivals. Now with a legal battle heating up between the two events, it seems local judicial forces will have to rule in favor of monetary/economic gains and environmental safety. In any case, the future of Ultra wavers on the brink.

H/T: Miami Herald. Featured photo: EDM Kevin