Music and art lovers unite at III Points Music Festival in Miami, Florida – which celebrated its 11th anniversary a couple of weekends ago. On October 18th and 19th, festivalgoers flocked to the event located within the Mana Wynwood Convention Center. It's become one of Miami's most popular music festivals, featuring a diverse lineup of artists, breathtaking art exhibits, and tons of interactive experiences to get lost in. Spoiler alert: III Points was an amazing event. Just make sure to bring your raincoat, because it seems to rain every year.
A rainy Friday start aside, the show must go on. With just two days, III Points offers so much that you won't have enough time to experience all of its offerings. That said, there are some late nights with sets starting at 4 A.M. – it is Miami, after all. So, you have the ability to spend a good amount of time at the festival grounds, with gates opening at 3 P.M.
It just so happened that Taylor Swift and Swifties were also in town for the Eras tour, which made traffic a bit rougher than typical South Florida traffic. Still, the rideshare situation was fairly swift and seamless – no pun intended. You just had to walk a few blocks and get away from the closed roads near the grounds.
With 11 stages spanning the four city blocks, it was our mission to catch as many sets as possible – which started with catching Three Sacred Souls at the Mind Melt stage. With a big disco ball hanging from a crane above the crowd, Three Sacred Souls united everyone on the dance floor for a positive start to night one. "If we don't live for ourselves and love ourselves first, we're not gonna be any help to the collective," Josh Lane belted to the crowd as the day fell to night.
Adina Yev
Speaking of stages, each boasted its own unique aesthetic and brought a certain vibe to the event. For example, the Isotropic stage, decked out with plants and disco balls was very much the house and techno music stage. The arrangement of the several stages in close proximity ensured there was no conflicting sound, and festivalgoers could easily move from one set to another without missing a beat.
More sets of the night that had us dancing included a B2B at the Isotropic Stage with Malóne and Miluhska as well as Dara Del Castillo. With the constant rain, Elderbrook came on for his live set a little delayed, but it didn't matter once he started belting his beautiful vocals at the crowd. In fact, it was almost a bit more romantic combining the rain with his cinematic visuals. Jungle and KAYTRANADA put on some of the best sets of the weekend, with Rezz and Of the Trees uniting the grimey bass lovers.
If you need a break from the music, you're in the right place at III Points. Elevating the experience with tons of side events and art installations, there's never a dull moment. We checked out The Black Hole Experience for some calmness, ironically near the RC 95 stage which was not calm at all. Created by Dax Dasilva and Kelly Nunes, it felt like stepping into another dimension for a moment. The III Points Digital Art Space by the Miami Art Society presented by Aura Bora offered enjoyable shelter on the rainy Friday, but kept folks around with the project moving art pieces. Inside included a roller rink – Skate Space – along with an area full of fun mirrors and disco balls. Did somebody say photo ops?
Hope you came hungry and thirsty, because III Points definitely delivers on concessions and sponsored booths alike. From burgers and tacos to coffee carts and tequila stands, there were options for even the pickiest folks. The Ford's Gin booth was a standout, offering elixirs, gin drinks, and even hair braiding. The 400 Conejos booth was hard to miss with its silent disco, mezcal tastings, and tarot card readings. There were also stations for the White Claw Shore Club, Smirnoff Ice, and Espolon Tequila. One of our favorite touches were the Valentino and Azzaro stations, which offered makeup touch-ups and perfume spritzes to keep you fresh all weekend long.
Fast forward to Saturday, and we were ready for the house vibes. Lasers too, please! We started the night just like Friday – by heading to the main stage where Toro y Moi was playing. Their set definitely struck a nostalgic chord, especially ending their set with "The Difference". Player Dave and Vintage Culture gave us all the house music vibes, and Disco Lines delivered one of the weekend’s most fun sets, complete with colorful, psychedelic visuals that lit up the stage. Joe Kay took us by surprise and served us arguably our favorite set of the weekend – and we sure trust him with the music now. The general consensus of the weekend was that Justice and Jamie XX put on some of the top sets. The night kept us on our toes as we hopped around to catch Rick Ross, Pawsa, and Sammy Virji.
By late Saturday night, III Points was noticeably packed, but organizers were prepared and ensured the festival was still comfortable. Bathrooms were strategically located near every stage, complete with sinks, making quick stops easy and convenient. Honorable mention because the bathrooms stayed clean with sink stations stocked as the night went on – a rarity at music festivals.
Undoubtedly, III Points goes beyond the traditional festival experience – blending music, art and interactive installations into two days. You can have attended all of the most popular music festivals in the world, but you simply can't replicate the Miami music scene. It offers an experience like no other with the chance to discover new artists you may have never heard of. After all, that's one of the reasons people return to III Points every year.
Beyond the impressive lineup and art, III Points builds a community vibe that resonates deeply with festivalgoers. Each year, it captures Miami's spirit in a way that feels both intimate and expansive, offering an atmosphere where fans feel a true sense of belonging. With its dedication to evolve and push creative boundaries, III Points will remain a festival that people return to not only for the music – but also for the chance to reconnect and be inspired.
