We Belong Here Miami Returned With Larger Crowds, Some Growing Pains

We Belong Here Miami kicked off its fourth iteration on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Virginia Key Beach Park. But to make it to Kaskade's sunset set at 6 p.m., you had to endure 45 minutes of traffic on the Rickenbacker Causeway.

Eventually, I made it through and got inside the park, where it was apparent upgrades had been made compared to last year's festival. At the 360 Stage, thanks to its partnership with E11even, the VIP tables were now located on elevated platforms to the right and left of the stage. The sound system was also upgraded to a whole nother level, which could be heard from the Miami Seaquarium at its voluminous peak.

A slight downgrade this year was the number of stages, which dropped to three from the previous four. Still, there were options for those who wanted more variety beyond the 360 Stage. As festivalgoers enjoyed an excellent set by Eric Prydz on Saturday night, the Lost Stage hosted Miami duo Maru, who delivered a fun, groovy time that felt much more intimate than the claustrophobic main stage. On Sunday, the stage featured DvirNuns' funk-focused set and Mia Moretti, who packed the small area with people dancing on tables and even behind the stage.
Overall, We Belong Here, the crowd felt larger this year, meaning space was at a premium. Due to the sheer number of people, there was almost no place to sit and relax.

If I had to guess, Kaskade's sunset set might have had something to do with it. Out of this year's headliner, he might have been the one people were most excited about. He brought out remixes of favorites like "Where You Are" while pulling out some of his classic tracks to a massive crowd on Saturday afternoon. Kaskade proved he could still bring the energy and the bangers of his 2000s heyday, pulling out some progressive house drops that more than satisfied festivalgoers.

Unfortunately, even with all the lights and lasers the festival brought out for Eric Prydz's set, it felt like something was missing. It wasn't a bad set, but the lack of awe-inspiring visuals that often accompany Prydz's music was sorely missed.
Steve Angelo suffered from a similar fate on Sunday. Perhaps I had high expectations for one of the Swedish House Mafia's key members, but he didn't live up to what I had fantasized about. He played some fine house tunes, including a cool remix of "Fein," but his lack of energy and lackluster song and mix choices left me wanting more. It wasn't until he started pulling out of his Swedish House Mafia bag that included tracks like "Moth to a Flame," "Heaven Takes You Home," and the anthemic "Don't You Worry Child" that the mood started to pick up.

Fortunately, Louis the Child more than delivered. The Chicago duo took everyone by surprise, busting out bangers like the John Summit and Tape B collab "Gas Pedal" and their remix of "Blase" to a crowd ready to turn up. It was a good time with good vibes as the crowd was in full PLUR mode, dancing to the hit song "Better Not."

Sunday was honestly less crowded overall and felt more organized than the first day, with everything going as planned and moving accordingly. There were great sets on every stage, with LP Giobbi, Lane 8, and Nico Moon delivering standout sets.

This year, We Belong Here Miami got bigger and better in some aspects. I would love to see the return of label takeovers and the previous Lost Village stage layout. There is no reason that the 2026 edition couldn't be the perfect iteration of the festival.