The unofficial guide to maximizing your EDM intake this semester

Miami has always been a hotbed for artistic expression and music – but in recent years, the festival scene has found its way into the streets of South Florida. With the addition of new festivals like Life in Color Miami, Miami has established itself as a safe-haven for wooks and bassheads. For many electronic artists, the pinnacle is performing for a crowd of over 100,000 at the Ultra mainstage.

We’ve put together a list of some local (and some not-so-local) festivals that you’ve just gotta check out.

Life in Color: Miami

On January 28, 2017, Life in Color will come to the Mana Wynwood & RC Cola Plant with names like Diplo, Carnage and Marshmello. We can expect to see a lot of people grinding their teeth and chain-smoking cigarettes as they get down to Seven Lions, Young Thug, Tritonal, Desiigner, and more. At Life in Color: Miami, you will get covered in paint, and even though the splatter is cold, Miami weather is not. LIC should be nuts, and you can buy tickets here.

Ultra Music Festival

Ultra Music Festival is a staple in the Miami music scene – and a brand name in the EDM community. Even though Ultra hosts events worldwide, the flagship will always be in Miami, and will always be hosted at Bayfront Park. March 24 – 26, 2017, Ultra is bringing in the big guns – with names like Ice Cube, Major Lazer, Above & Beyond, Carl Cox, Hardwell, Dash Berlin – and so, so many more.

Ultra is the mecca for all things electronic, and after gracing EDM communities across the world, Ultra is returning to Miami to remind us all what a good time looks like. Ultra weekend is a great way to end Miami music week – so if you haven’t already gotten your ticket, you should do so right now! Tickets can be purchased here. Early Bird and Payment Plan tickets are already almost sold out, but you can scoop up a General Admission ticket or even buy a single-day as we get a little closer to show time.

Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival

The portal is reopening March 2 – 5, 2017 for yet another ‘Chobee. Gather the essentials – a tent, some healing crystals, your camelback, and snacks – and get ready for a wild weekend of swimming, camping, art, dance, yoga, food, and music. Headlining are acts like Kings of Leon, Bassnectar, The Lumineers, Flume, Wiz Khalifa, and Porter Robinson (live).

Limited pre-sale tickets are on sale here, but get them soon because supplies are limited. If last year was any indication, the folks at ‘Chobee really know how to set up a festival, with all the funk and fixtures that any EDM god or goddess could ask for.

Shaky Beats

In Atlanta, GA, a festival is brewing. The second annual Shaky Beats Music Festival, held May 5 – 7, 2017 at Centennial Olympic Park, promises to be bigger and better than the first annual. With a powerful mix of EDM and hip-hop, Shaky Beats has something for everybody. Although this years’ lineup has yet to be released, the rookie showing offered acts such as Major Lazer, Jai Wolf, Zhu, Tory Lanez, Marshmello, Odesza, Nas, Yellow Claw, and more.

For what many would consider a small festival, these are some big names. Whoever was in charge of scheduling the talent last year absolutely killed it – and I will be in attendance again this year. Tickets can be bought here. If you didn’t go last year, you missed out on AER’s final performance ever. You also missed out on a wild weekend of music, food, and experiences that just can’t be found in many other places.

Holy Ship! 2017

On January 6^th, the MSC Poesia will depart from Miami loaded with cool people and amazing DJ’s who are all on vacation together. For a week, artists will perform around-the-clock aboard a state-of-the-art cruise ship designed for living in luxury while at sea. With names like Big Gigantic, Claude VonStroke, DJ Snake, Fatboy Slim, Griz, Hucci, Jauz, Kill the Noise, Marshmello, Party Favor, Slushii, Snails, and Tchami, this boat is gonna be rockin’. Tickets are currently sold out – but rumor has it they’re going to be releasing some extras closer to the departure date. This festival is going to be like camping in style – on the best cruise ever.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the festivals Miami and the surrounding areas have to offer. If you do the research, you will come across so many events worth attending. You’ll get a different vibe with each scene, so it is important to do a little digging in order to find the festival that you’ll like best.

There is a ridiculous amount of talent out there, and it is amazing that we can showcase that value in our community. Each year, the decision-makers behind each of these festivals outdo themselves. It is hard to top lineups like these, but they keep getting better, year after year. Enjoy and stay hydrated!