MIAMI — At 55 years old, Scott Smith is an Ultra Music Festival veteran. The first one was in 1999. It was a one-day beach party at Collins Park.

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UMF’s move to Bayfront Park was in 2001. The three-day expansion was in 2011, and the brief move to Virginia Key was in 2019. This is its 27th year.

“I haven’t missed one,” said Smith, who prefers to enjoy the high-energy atmosphere while shirtless.

For Lindy Campbell, UMF is part of a bigger party. It extends to Miami Beach and Wynwood, the Miami Music Festival and the Winter Music Conference, a haven for DJs that started in 1985.

“There are different pool parties and night parties,” Campbell said.

On Friday morning, Deanna Nicolo and Nicolette Waldman said they were ready to go and they planned to be the last ones out.

“We are going be here until it closes ... I’m really excited for Martin Garrix tonight going back to back with Alesso.”

Mariana Weber loves the UMF fashion. Electronic Dance Music, she said, embraces “colorful, spandex, glitter.”

Mark Nelson, who lives in Downtown, isn’t really a fan of EDM, UMF, MMW, or WMC. For him, it’s all just a big headache with more tourists, traffic, and noise than he can tolerate.

“I can’t leave my house,” Nelson said. “I feel trapped ... You can’t get in your car, you can’t drive ... you can’t get in your building. You just have to walk everywhere.”

The EDM at UMF can get really loud, so Nelson can’t sleep. This is why some locals decide to leave and rent out their apartments.

“Yeah, the vibrations,” Nelson said.

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