Fyre Festival founder Billy McFarland has revealed that he’s rebooting the notorious event that saw him sent to prison for fraud, this time with even bigger promises and prices
Billy McFarland refuses to let Fyre Festival die. Despite being charged with fraud and a six-year prison sentence for duping investors, McFarland announced on February 24th that he will be reviving the notorious festival this spring.
The announcement revealing the second attempt at the festival came yesterday in a social media post reading: “FYRE FESTIVAL 2 IS REAL.” The full press release posted on Instagram revealed that the event will take place between May 30 – June 2, 2025 on Mexico’s Isla Mujeres.
The three-day event will supposedly deliver “world-class accommodations” is described as a celebration of music. Eerily reminiscent of the first festival, McFarland is making big promises and charging massive fees, with little information about accommodation and confirmed performers.
As of now, no performers have been announced for the festival. Even though the event is less than three months away, McFarland promises the event will feature “artists across electronic, hip hop, pop and rock, adding optimistically: “We might have a professional skateboarder do a demonstration. We might have an MMA champion teach you techniques in the morning.”
When asked if fans can expect A-listers, McFarland says: “I really hope so, and I expect so from our conversations.” Hope seems to be fuelling Fyre Festival 2, but some are already buying in to the experience.
Tickets and hospitality packages are on sale, with prices ranging from $1,400 to $1.1 million for luxury experiences like yacht accommodations and celebrity close-ups. “It’s all about the adventure,” according to McFarland. “So you’ll be scuba diving with me. You’ll be bouncing around to other islands and other countries on small planes.”
Which leads to one of the biggest questions surrounding the event: Will McFarland be allowed to attend? Having served less than four years of his six-year prison sentence, McFarland is not able to leave New York state without an officer’s permission and is on probation until August.
The original Fyre Festival took place in 2017 and was promoted excessively on social media by celebrities and influencers. The festival promised ultra-luxe accommodations and a huge musical line-up, with tickets costing thousands of dollars.
However, after arriving in the Bahamas, festivalgoers were stunned by the lack of organisation and crude conditions. Not only did many of the major performers drop out, but attendees were also left searching for adequate food and water.
The disastrous festival was documented across social media and reached new depths when a Netflix documentary revealed the extent of McFarland and his partners’ deception and carelessness.
