UltraVegas is set to commemorate its 30th anniversary with MKWeekender, an impressive open-air event that will take place at Campbell Park on 14 and 15 August. This celebration will feature orchestral Ibiza performances, headline DJs, and live bands, all rooted in the city where it first began.
The event has also announced Willen Hospice as its official charity partner, with a portion of ticket sales proceeds supporting local families through UltraVegas’ Donate2Dance initiative. This partnership highlights the community-driven ethos that has remained central to the festival since its inception.
What started as a grassroots club night in the 1990s has grown into a large-scale festival, yet its mission remains focused on making a positive impact locally. Marc Carter, founder of UltraVegas, shared: “This is about more than putting on a great event. It’s about using the platform we’ve built to make a real difference locally.”
He added: “Willen Hospice touches so many lives in Milton Keynes, and through Donate2Dance we want to bring people together on the dancefloor while supporting something that genuinely matters.”
On Friday night, the main stage will kick off with a unique blend of orchestral performance and house music heritage, featuring Symphonic Ibiza alongside Seb Fontaine and Tall Paul. The lineup will also include Mr Jac, original UltraVegas resident DJ Jason Jay, and newly inducted Hall of Fame member Mr Ross Wood.
The Sophisticated Society stage will showcase ARKO // STU playing B2B, along with Ashley Kellett (host of the UltraVegas radio show on Horizon DAB), Lady Roulette, Jason Jay, and Ross Wood.
The energy continues into an official afterparty at Merkur Casino, featuring an all-female DJ line-up including Eva Cooper, Saya, Sammy Dean, and a very special guest still to be confirmed.
Saturday will see the festival shift into full mode, with Scouting for Girls, Martin Kemp, Charlie Hedges, and Chris Gregg headlining the main stage. The day will be built around indie anthems, throwback classics, and high-energy dancefloor moments.
The Sophisticated Society stage returns for the second day, featuring Ashley Kellett, Richie Long, and Woody delivering their trademark sets, alongside Clarke & Laconi, who have recently appeared at the 80s/90s Butlins Big Weekender.
Across both days, the line-up brings together original UltraVegas residents, emerging local talent, and national names, reflecting a scene that has continually evolved while staying rooted in its community.
Haydn Hammond, Director of Concept Event Solutions, the production company behind MKWeekender, said: “UltraVegas isn’t just a brand, it’s part of Milton Keynes’ story. To have it at the heart of MKWeekender as it celebrates 30 years makes this a genuinely special moment.”
He added: “What’s particularly exciting is that this isn’t just about looking back. It’s about bringing generations together and creating something new for the city.”
DJ and UltraVegas Radio host Ashley Kellett shared: “Even if you weren’t from Milton Keynes, you knew the name UltraVegas. It stood for something real in UK club culture. What makes it special now is that it hasn’t just come back, it’s grown into something bigger.”
He continued: “You’ve got people in their teens through to their 70s all coming together through music, with no ego, just energy.”
More than a festival, MKWeekender represents four decades of dance music culture and a rare moment where a homegrown brand scales up on its own terms.
UltraVegas founder Marc Carter added: “Part one brought people back together. This is about taking that energy and elevating it.”
He concluded: “UltraVegas has always been about Milton Keynes; the people, the music and the atmosphere. This is the biggest way we’ve ever been able to celebrate that.”
With multiple stages, high-spec production, and a strong community focus, organisers say the aim is simple: to recreate the atmosphere that made UltraVegas legendary while giving something back to the place that made it.
• Visit https://mkweekender.com/ to sign up for tickets and to get the latest updates.
