Winter Music Conference 2026 is officially coming home to Miami and landing right in our backyard. From Tuesday, March 24 to Thursday, March 26 2026, WMC will take over the Kimpton EPIC Hotel in Downtown Miami.
For UM students, that history isn’t just a fun fact – it’s an opportunity. WMC brings together industry leaders, rising talent and innovators for panels, workshops and networking, creating a rare environment where you can sit in on a conversation with executives, then bump into them later at a rooftop event.
Whether you’re studying performance, audio production, marketing, finance or entrepreneurship, this is where the global electronic music ecosystem actually becomes visible and accessible.
First launched in 1985, Winter Music Conference is the longest-running electronic music conference in the world, a place where DJs, label heads, managers, tech founders and fans have met for decades to discover what comes next in dance music.
After evolving under the stewardship of ULTRA Worldwide, WMC 2026 marks a renewed commitment to Miami as the global hub for electronic music, technology and culture. This anchors Miami Music Week and leads directly into Ultra Music Festival’s 26th edition at Bayfront Park that same weekend.
WMC 2026 is built around two curated programming paths: WMC // INDUSTRY and WMC // CREATORS.
The industry track is designed for music and live events enthusiasts with panels and workshops that dive into the business of music, event production, emerging technologies, marketing, social media and the evolving landscape of dance culture.
Students will recognize a lot of the concepts they see in class, but here they’re hearing it from the label executives, festival organizers and tech founders who make those decisions in real time.
The creators track is aimed at DJs, producers and content creators, with gear demos, showcases from leading brands, artist-led workshops and breakout sessions on building a sustainable career.
For Frost students in performance, production or music engineering, it functions like a three-day crash course in how artists actually create, release and tour their music—plus how to stand out in a crowded scene.
On top of the daytime programming, the Kimpton EPIC rooftop becomes the social heart of the conference, with daily pool parties from Tuesday to Thursday and programming flowing from panel rooms to the pool deck.
WMC will also close with the Bridges for Music × International Dance Music Awards (IDMA) Gala on Thursday, March 26.This is a separately ticketed event that merges an impact-driven nonprofit with electronic music’s longest-running awards ceremony.
With WMC running right before Ultra Music Festival, the whole week becomes one extended lab in music, media and live events.
If you’re serious about working in any level of music musicWinter Music Conference 2026 is the week to step off campus and into the room where the industry actually meets.
More details, badge tiers, and schedule updates are available at WinterMusicConference.com.