Billy McFarland insists that Fyre Festival 2 is moving forward, even as more and more details have surfaced suggesting otherwise.
Billy McFarland surely could have expected that any venture with his name on it would be under the public magnifying glass after the 2017 debacle that was Fyre Festival. But the convicted fraudster is doubling down on his claims that the sophomore edition is moving forward, going as far as to refute Playa del Carmen authorities’ claims by sharing apparent images of signed documents.
When tickets to Fyre Festival 2 went on sale in February, the location was listed as Isla Mujeres in Mexico. The island’s tourism directorate then told reporters that organizers had never so much as contacted them, prompting McFarland and company to change it to Playa del Carmen.
On April 2, Playa del Carmen’s City Hall addressed the claim in a social media post. A translation reads, “In response to rumors about a supposed event called ‘Fyre 2,’ we inform you that no event of that name will be held in Playa del Carmen. After a thorough review, there is no record or planning of any such event in the municipality.”
McFarland maintains that Fyre Festival 2 is moving forward in Playa del Carmen. In an Instagram post, he argued that any media claims to the contrary are “simply inaccurate and based on misinformation,” and that his team has “followed the proper processes and procedures to lawfully host an event.”
In the post, McFarland goes as far as to share a slide show of apparent communications and documents. Among them are what he says are artist invitations and special event permits.
The first installment of Fyre Festival became synonymous with disastrous music events after attendees who arrived at the Exhumas in the Bahamas were met with scarce food and shelter, not to mention none of the promised entertainment. McFarland served four years in federal prison for wire fraud, and Netflix and Hulu ran documentaries on the misadventure.
Tickets to Fyre Festival 2 start at $1,400 and cost as much as $1.1 for a package called Prometheus. Less than two months before the event is slated to take place on May 30 – June 2, no lineup details have been announced.
