The Miami Winter Music Conference (WMC) is the world’s longest-running electronic music conference, held every March in Miami, Florida, since 1985. It brings together DJs, producers, labels, agents and music tech companies for panels, workshops, showcases and parties, and hosts the International Dance Music Awards (IDMAs). The next edition, WMC 2027, runs from 24 to 26 March 2027 at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel in Downtown Miami.
Miami Winter Music Conference at a glance
- Founded: 1985, by Louis Possenti and Bill Kelly
- Where: Miami, Florida; Downtown Miami since 2026
- When: every March, at the start of Miami Music Week
- Next edition: 24–26 March 2027, Kimpton EPIC Hotel
- Awards: the International Dance Music Awards (IDMAs), held since 1985
- Owner: acquired by the team behind Ultra Music Festival in 2018
- Website: wintermusicconference.com
A short history of the Miami Winter Music Conference
The Miami Winter Music Conference started small. The first conference, in February 1986 at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott, drew about 80 industry attendees. Over the following decades it moved south to Miami Beach and Downtown Miami and grew into the most important week of the year for the dance music business, with labels, DJs and promoters flying in from around the world.
In the 1990s and 2000s, WMC week was where new records were broken. House labels such as Strictly Rhythm and Nervous Records brought their artists to Miami, and DJs like Louie Vega built WMC traditions with parties such as Dance Ritual and the Vega Records Get Together.
WMC, Ultra and Miami Music Week
Ultra Music Festival began in 1999 as Ultra Beach, part of the Winter Music Conference. The two later split, holding separate events in different weeks from 2011, before Ultra acquired WMC and the IDMAs in 2018. Today WMC opens Miami Music Week, the city’s week of club nights, pool parties and showcases that leads into Ultra.
What happens at the Miami Winter Music Conference today
For 2026, its 36th edition, WMC moved to a single venue for the first time: the Kimpton EPIC Hotel in Downtown Miami, also the official home of Miami Music Week. The programme was split into two tracks:
- WMC // Industry: for labels, live events, agencies, tech and the music business, covering revenue, touring, licensing, marketing and AI.
- WMC // Creators: for DJs, producers and online creators, with gear demos, masterclasses, production workflows and career talks.
Other highlights included an A&R pop-up lounge where badge holders could hand demos to labels, Beatport Live rooftop pool parties, a gear exhibition, and the International Dance Music Awards gala in partnership with the charity Bridges for Music.
WMC 2027: dates and tickets
The Winter Music Conference 2027 is set for 24–26 March 2027 at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel in Downtown Miami. Badges are sold through the official WMC website, and some events, such as the IDMA gala, need a separate ticket. Registered attendees have been able to book discounted rates at the conference hotel.
Is the Miami Winter Music Conference worth it for DJs?
For DJs and producers building a career, WMC is one of the best places to meet labels, agents and promoters in person, hear from people who run the industry and get your music heard. The Creators track and demo sessions are aimed squarely at emerging artists. If you’re going mainly to party, Miami Music Week’s club nights and pool parties are the bigger draw.
Miami Winter Music Conference vs Amsterdam Dance Event
WMC and Amsterdam Dance Event are the two big industry weeks in the dance music calendar. WMC kicks off the year in March in Miami, while ADE closes it in October in Amsterdam. ADE is now the larger of the two, with hundreds of venues across the city, while WMC has become a more focused conference inside Miami Music Week.
Frequently asked questions about the Miami Winter Music Conference
What is the Miami Winter Music Conference?
The Miami Winter Music Conference (WMC) is an annual electronic music industry conference held in Miami every March since 1985, with panels, workshops, showcases and the International Dance Music Awards.
When is WMC 2027?
WMC 2027 takes place from 24 to 26 March 2027 at the Kimpton EPIC Hotel in Downtown Miami.
Who owns the Miami Winter Music Conference?
The Winter Music Conference and the International Dance Music Awards were acquired by the team behind Ultra Music Festival in 2018.
Is WMC the same as Miami Music Week?
No. The Winter Music Conference is the industry conference that opens Miami Music Week, the wider week of club nights and parties in Miami that leads into Ultra Music Festival.
Who founded the Miami Winter Music Conference?
The Winter Music Conference was founded in 1985 by Louis Possenti and Bill Kelly.
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