…And some of the Fyre Festival 2 tickets go for a whopping $1.1 million.
Entrepreneur and convicted wire fraud offender Billy McFarland is putting the notion that no press is bad press to the ultimate test. In spite of the monumental 2017 disaster that was Fyre Festival, he is moving forward with Fyre Festival 2, and tickets are now on sale.
The debut edition of the festival erupted into an international media circus when attendees who shelled out thousands for tickets arrived at a garbage-strewn event site on the Bahamian island of Exhuma with next to no shelter or food. Following a federal investigation, McFarland spent just under four years in federal prison for defrauding investors, leading to documentaries on Hulu and Netflix that chronicled the Fyre Festival saga.
In spite of all of this, McFarland announced Fyre Festival 2 in August 2023. It was supposed to take place that December — but nearly a year and a half later, McFarland has shared that he’s partnered with Mexican promoter Lostnights to host the actual sophomore edition on Isla Mujeres, Mexico from May 30 – June 2.
The follow-up event is already showing similar symptoms to the first one. “We live on Isla Mujeres (not a private island), and there is no way this event is going ahead like you are selling it,” one person commented on the Instagram announcement post. “To say the statements made thus far are misleading would be a massive understatement … As best the local community here (about 15,000 people) can tell, there has been zero planning, communication or bookings.”
And some of the ticket packages, developed in partnership with SoldOut.com and FriendlySky, sell for astronomical sums. A glance at the new Fyre Festival homepage reveals that “Ignite,” “Fuego,” and “Phoenix” packages respectively go for $1,400, $5,000 and $25,000.
But scrolling further down uncovers the “Prometheus” package, which runs for a whopping $1.1 million. It offers “on-stage access to the Water Stage, fight team access at the Fight Pit [whatever that is], a curated itinerary of FYRE Experiences, 24/7 private chauffeur service, dedicated on-site concierge and access to the PROMETHEUS Marina.”
In a statement, McFarland said, “I’m sure many people think I’m crazy for doing this again. But I feel I’d be crazy not to do it again. After years of reflection and now thoughtful planning, the new team and I have amazing plans for FYRE 2. The adventure seekers who trust the vision and take the leap will help make history. Thank you to my partners for the second chance.”
It’s safe to say that Fyre Festival suffered more bad press than any other music festival in history. Can McFarland parlay the heightened exposure of its media spectacle into a successful follow-up event eight years later? It looks like we’re all about to find out.
