Youth Fair reopens Saturday afternoon, Ultra Music Festival bounces back for day two after Friday washout
MIAMI - Periods of heavy rain and gusty winds put a damper on some South Florida events this weekend.
On Friday, The Youth Fair was canceled and the Ultra Music Festival shut down for the night due to weather conditions. On Saturday morning, The Youth Fair announced that it would reopen at 3 p.m. while Ultra resumed the music and festivities for day two.
The event started without a hitch on Friday, but then as a Tornado Watch was issued for all of South Florida, the event was forced to shut down.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, organizers said, "Severe weather, lightning and strong winds. For your safety, Ultra Friday is temporarily shutting down. Please calmly leave the park now."
At around 9 p.m., tens of thousands of people flooded Biscayne Boulevard.
This came hours after people from around the world rushed in for the sold-out three-day festival.
Despite the rainy conditions, thousands had lined up for hours to attend the Bayfront Park event.
In town from San Antonio for Ultra, Frankie Limon said the storms won't rain on his parade.
"I don't see that stopping me. I mean, I got a tank top on and have good music and vibes, as long as everyone's safe, the musicians or the equipment. I guess, if they want it, they want to go on, I'm with it," he said.
Miami native Carmen Berrio said rain is in her DNA.
"Because Miami parties with rain or without it so we're gonna have fun," she said.
Berrio said she's been preparing her whole life for this moment.
"My first time. I'm very excited. I'm also excited to see Martin Garrix, he's like my favorite deejay in the world. I've been literally listening to him since I was like four years old," she said.
"I've never been and I live here, so I feel like I needed to go," said South Florida native Ciara Lawler.
"And, I came last year, and it was so much fun," added Nico Callahan, another Ultra reveler.
Lawler told CBS News Miami's Nikiya Carrero that she wasn't refunded for Friday's washout and decided not to go that night; however, she did return for Saturday as Ultra extended the night for an extra hour to make up for the shutdown.
Miami-Dade and Broward counties were under a Flood Watch, and a Wind Advisory through Saturday evening.
The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center had placed South Florida under a Level 1 risk of severe weather with the potential for heavy rain, flooding, damaging gusty winds, small hail, and isolated tornadoes.
South Florida could see three to five inches of rain with some areas getting as much as six inches.
There was also a Miami Heat game Friday night at the Kaseya Center. While the arena is covered, getting to and from both events with strong storms could be a nightmare.
There is also the Miami Open happening at Hard Rock Stadium. Matches are played on outdoor courts and the rain could impact games and attendance. Last year, the tournament drew more than 386,000 attendees across the two-week event.
The rains will also impact the ongoing Florida Renaissance Festival at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach and Miami-Dade's Youth Fair at the Fairgrounds, SW 112 Avenue & Coral Way.
The outdoor events on Friday and Saturday may be delayed or canceled due to the expected stormy conditions.
