Ryan F.
Yelp
Spent a good amount of time at Mana Wynwood for the IIIPoints Music Festival over a beautiful weekend. Got to see performances at each one of the stages set up, saw several art installation, and had a few drinks. They also had food stations from several local spots, but I did not order anything.
Quality
I have spent a good deal of time in Wynwood, but I really had no idea how expansive the Mana Wynwood space was. For the festival it housed one large outdoor stage, two small outdoor stage areas, one large indoor stage, one small indoor stage, along with a bunch of art installations, and dozens of food and drink stations. The setup was pretty impressive as even in close proximity you did not run into issues of one stage overwhelming another. They utilized cargo bins to assist with this and really trap sound while still allowing much of the activity to take place outside. I also appreciated the very high quality sound quality, which far exceeded any of my expectations. I had issues with the festival itself and how it handled announcements and cancellations, but that is completely aside from the high quality of what was provided.
Quantity
A giant accommodating space that allowed for several high profile artists to perform without making you feel claustrophobic. Lots of space to travel and each stage was arranged to allow for the right amount of people to watch comfortable. Also, unlike most festivals they had setup the correct amount of bathrooms.
Value
The festival was quite expensive, especially considering many of the cancellations. However, the bigger issue was how costly drinks were inside. Also, the fact that they did not provide free water seems like it should be illegal.
Ambiance
Mana Wynwood is located in the heart of Wynwood and is large enough to border on many of the more popular bars and restaurants in the area. The grounds was set up to have several outdoor stages and well as indoor arenas as well. The question was the weather from the start so it provided a safety net in case things turned bad, but since the weather stayed beautiful it made for a more comfortable viewing experience. The space used giant cargo containers to help set up the sound maze that both provided paths and blocked sound. The lights and the sound were extremely impressive, but I'm not sure if that was more from the artists or the festival or the grounds. Anyway it was mesmerizing. It is definitely a great space for an event like this, my only major qualm would be that the floor is pavement and concrete in almost all the outdoor areas. Some grassy areas would make for a more comfy experience especially when spending a long day outside.
Crowd
It was a music festival, although quite a different festival than Ultra, but still drew a very festival and hipster crowd. Lots of artsy young folks and by nature lots of people smoking. The problem is it still was a very Miami crowd, which by its nature thinks everywhere is a club. So many of those standard good vibes you find a festivals were replaced with more of a shoving and VIP feel.
Service
Even with short lines at the entrance the security was unbelievably slow at checking everyone. Additionally the staff was completely lost and confused, especially on the first day of when things were happening and where they were. The bartenders were also clearly more interested in watching the shows then working which is annoying as well.
Parking
They had designed lots specifically for the festival and the Wynwood area is also full of street parking spots. However, this is exactly what car services were designed for and they set up a large area just for safe pickups and drop-offs.
Extra
Mana Wynwood provides a surprisingly cool venue for a music festival. The type of festival and the needs for both larger and smaller stages worked perfectly for it. The high quality sound and light shows were great, but the costs of drinks and the real lack of hangout space were pretty serious issues. I would not hesitate to see another show or come to an event at Mana.