Everyone has heard the horror stories; music festivals can be an arena for druggies to run rampant and feel the vibes of the environment, surmounting in a cesspool of arrests, overdoses, and aggressive breakouts.
Luckily, that wasn’t the case at this year’s wildly popular—150,000 attendees—Ultra Music Festival in Miami at Bayfront Park. From 67 arrests last year and 81 in 2014, there were only 35 this year, almost a 50% decrease.
“Education, co-operation and everybody is maturing,” said Miami police Lt. Freddie Cruz.
There have been implications made by the venue coordinators to counteract the risky business by upholding the previously instated 18+ entrance and allowing only water and fannypacks to allowed inside the park.
They also hoped by raising the price of tickets and surrounding hotels that it would filter out some of the minors and irresponsible festival-goers.
After the 2014 Ultra incident, when security guard Ericka Mack was trampled by fans who mutilated the barring fences, festival correspondents made sure to install more a more protective fence system.
Not to mention the theme of the festival itself: enjoy the music without being under the influence. The festival affiliated with Baptist Health, which were there to aid for substance abuse. The Department of Health also handed out more than 41,000 condoms to prevent unsafe sex.
Miami Fire Rescue had very few transports, mainly dehydration and sprained ankle cases, with 48 total calls.
Hopefully, this dramatic decrease will continue for years to come, as it created a happy, healthy, and safer environment for ravers all across the world.
