Among the acts this year at Ultra Music Festival are (clockwise from top left) Duran Duran, Deadmau5 and The Chemical Brothers. (All photos by Getty Images)

Miami’s Ultra Music Festival has pretty much taken the mantle of world’s biggest dance music festival without question at this point. They get almost any DJ or electronica act of the moment, throw in a few other genres for good measure and basically take over downtown Miami for a while.

Here’s how to handle what amounts to the biggest party of its kind anywhere.

1. If you don’t have tickets now, you won’t be getting them: At least, not legally. Ultra’s been sold out for weeks now.

2. Pick out a central location where you and your friends can meet at any given time: This is vital, because chances are great you will lose at least one person in your traveling party during the day. There is no worse feeling than not having a ride home from something like this.

3. Plan ahead, but leave room for improvisation: Ultra’s great about getting their acts where they need to be on time, so if there’s someone you want to see, chances are you’ll be able to see them at the time they’re supposed to be on. But don’t be afraid to check something out if the mood strikes you – that way, five years from now, you’ll be able to share the story about how you happened upon this innocuous-looking tent and ended up covered in paint with a giant smile on your face.

4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: Can’t stress this enough. Water is critical. I know it’s awesome to dance and party to the sounds of Carl Cox & Friends in that giant tent, but at some point, take a break, find some water, drink it down. You’ll thank me.

Here’s what to look out for each day of Ultra:
• Friday: The main stage has two major DJs: Tiesto and Benny Benassi. Both are unmissable. Duran Duran, of course, has a huge catalog of fun music from the 1980s to the present, and the ‘80s mood continues with Erasure. Röyksopp, a Norwegian duo, has written some of the best electronica of the past decade. CSS is a pure party, and STS9 combines beats and jam music like alchemists.

• Saturday: Deadmau5 is the face of modern beats these days. (Actually, his face is behind a giant mouse helmet.) Underworld is the group that authored the rave culture anthem, “Born Slippy”, and it holds up. (If it doesn’t, just act like you’re in the movie Trainspotting and you’ll do fine.) The Carl Cox tent’s second night features Moby’s DJ set, always worth checking out. Empire of the Sun is definitely worth seeing if you’re a fan of old-school synth-pop, and you can make it an Aussie double with the amazing Cut Copy. It’ll also be the first day for the Tower of Ultra, which will feature Goldie, among others.

• Sunday: Huge stars on the main stage: The Chemical Brothers, Will.I.Am, David Guetta, Erick Morillo, Dirty Vegas, BT. Big names on the live stage: Disco Biscuits, MSTRKRFT, Crystal Castles, !!!. And then there’s Armin Van Buuren’s State of Trance 500, which will definitely be worth a look.

Oh. One last tip: Take Monday off. You’ll need it.

• On sale this week: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, April 16, Culture Room (Friday); Minus The Bear, May 24, Revolution Live (Saturday); The Psychedelic Furs, July 1, Culture Room (Friday).

• Gig report: Rachel Goodrich, who is trying to make a name for herself in Los Angeles after gaining a lot of fans in South Florida, returns for a night at Propaganda in Lake Worth on Sunday. Yellow No. 6 is having a CD release party there on Friday, and Torche plays there Saturday. … Black Finger, the rootsy rock group led by singer/songwriter Greg Lovell, is having a CD release party at Elwood’s Dixie Bar-B-Q (That’s the new Elwood’s at 301 N.E. Third St.) … String Theory will play Square Grouper in Jupiter on Friday, while Vanilla Monk plays Saturday … Livin It Down visits Guanabanas on Friday and Big Vince plays Saturday… Burnt Biscuit will be playing a free country show at CityPlace on Friday night… Franscene and The Howling Winds play Respectable Street on Friday, while Illstruck, Needless to Say and The Toilets visit Saturday … The Sauce Boss himself, Bill Wharton, is back at the Bamboo Room on Friday, while Watermelon Slim visits Saturday … Ben Childs is O’Shea’s musical performer on Thursday, while Bear In Mind plays Saturday … Heidi and the El Cats play South Shores in Lake Worth on Friday, while Sista Mary Beth and Friends get good and bluesy on Saturday. … JP Soars plays the Orange Door in Lake Park on Saturday … Saturday’s all ages show at Swampgrass Willy’s includes Sean Bucheck and Abstraction, and its 10 p.m. show features Aim for Saints. … Viva performs as part of the Wellington Amphitheater’s 15-year Celebration for the village on Saturday … Pineapple Groove in Delray Beach features two tribute acts this weekend: Roll The Stones on Friday and Across the Universe (Beatles) on Saturday … The People Upstairs visit The Hurricane in Delray Beach on Friday, while Hollywood Love Scene stops in on Saturday. .. String Theory heads the bill at Hooligans in Boca Raton on Friday, while Saturday will be one of the club’s Music Zone Competition shows. … The Fritz visits Boca’s Funky Buddha on Friday. … Amber Leigh plays Rooney’s in Abacoa on Friday, while the 441 Band plays Saturday… Midlife Crysis handles the Friday shift at Brogues. … Cover Up performs at Slainte in Boynton Beach on Friday and the Datura Street Band is Saturday’s musical act.