Let me start with the good: upon a 3:30pm arrival, the whole venue looked amazing—well decorated, organized, clean. Being by the water really lent itself to the atmosphere, especially in the early hours. The breeze that kept coming in was a huge saving grace. The sets at the 360 stage were awesome, too. Kaskade was stellar. The energy was up and people were sharing in lighthearted interactions. There was plenty to see and do. Merchants were friendly, selling cool wares and good food, albeit at a high price point.

A lot changed after night came around. Around 7pm, the crowd inflated throughout the entire venue (which was already relatively small). The people that were dancing and enjoying themselves, open to the experience, seemed to be replaced by tense faces on stiff bodies. I constantly saw that passerby would be met with judgmental glances. A lot of influencer-types were present, standing around on their phones until it was time to snap a social media-worthy selfie. Navigating the labyrinth of lines in front of nearly every food stand was a pain.

I cannot in good faith recommend this venue if PLUR is a priority for you. This is not your typical EDM festival where people openly share kandi and sprouts, dancing like nobody’s watching. Instead, there was a palpable emphasis on appearances and cliques over community and freedom that sapped away any chance of spontaneous, genuine connection. Not every festival has to be some profound or spiritual experience, but the energy at this one wasn’t even ripe for a good time in its latter half. I’m very familiar with Miami’s culture, heavily rooted in materialistic values, but seeing it directly contend with the ideals of EDM fests as a whole was a dizzying clash.