Convicted fraudster Billy McFarland has claimed the first run of tickets to his second attempt at the disastrous Fyre Festival has sold out.
It took a day for the 100 tickets worth $499 – the cheapest price range – to sell out on the website for the revamped event, scheduled for December 6, 2024.
In typical McFarland fashion, details are blurred. The event’s website does not list an attendee list and the actual location of the event is vague. The venue is only listed as “Caribbean Sea”.
The proposed date, December 6, 2024, is also “subject to change,” according to the event’s website.
McFarland was convicted of fraud in 2018 after selling 8,000 tickets – priced between $1,000 and $12,000 – for the originally botched Fyre Festival. It was canceled on opening day, leaving people stranded on the island without many basic amnesties.
A year later, McFarland pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and was sentenced to six years in prison and to repay approximately $26 million to his investors. He was released in March 2022.
Billy McFarland was jailed in 2018 after being convicted of fraud
The disgraced promoter is now attempting a comeback
He was sentenced to six years in federal prison for the botched Fyre Festival
Guests at the festival, many of whom paid upwards of $1,000 for the retreat, were offered gourmet meal packages serving barely acceptable food from the school canteen
The luxury accommodations turned out to be tents, designed to look like emergency shelters, with little protection for guests from the inclement weather
Tickets to Fyre Festival II will be awarded to brave would-be revelers, with several tiers listed as ‘coming soon’. The next entry point starts at $799 and goes up to $7,999 in the final version.
McFarland’s efforts to make Fyre Festival a success story follow the scandal that erupted after his first attempt in 2017.
Ticket holders who thought they were going to a “luxury music festival” on Pablo Escobar’s former private island were in fact lured by a disastrous event that involved everything from food to lodging.
Guests paying up to $13,000 for luxury packages were left stranded with unfinished accommodations, no transportation, and no food other than cheese sandwiches served in Styrofoam boxes, the images of which quickly went viral.
At the inaugural Fyre Festival, McFarland had teamed up with rapper Ja Rule to attract millions of dollars in investment with the promise of hosting the first luxury music festival of its kind in the Bahamas, complete with models, DJs, luxury accommodations and extravagant dining.
McFarland paid people like Kendall Jenner to promote the event on Instagram, which circulated promotional content to entice people into buying tickets for thousands of dollars apiece.
But the event drew heavy criticism, as people arriving on Great Exuma Island found much less than they expected.
Court documents described the crime scene as “utter disorganization and chaos.” The “luxury accommodations” were FEMA disaster relief tents, the “gourmet food” was barely passable cheese sandwiches served in Styrofoam containers, and the “hottest music acts” were nowhere to be seen.
In April, he announced that he would be making another attempt to make things right with Fyre Festival II. On Monday, he shared that he’s been on the “wildest journey” but is ready to create something incredible.
McFarland was the focus of two different documentaries produced by Netflix and Hulu in 2019
Festival guests were left with nowhere to stay or where to put their luggage, and when the festival was canceled on the first day, they were stuck
“This is a big day because Fyre Festival 2 tickets are officially on sale now,” he said in a TikTok video.
“It was absolutely the wildest journey to get here and actually it all started during the seven months in solitary confinement.”
“Ultimately, we decided that Fyre Festival 2 would return to the Caribbean.”
“We’re planning Fyre Festival 2 for late next year and in the meantime we’ll be hosting pop-ups and events around the world.”
After selling the first series of tickets today, McFarland shared his excitement on social media.
“The first FYRE Festival II drop is sold out,” he said. “Since 2016, FYRE has been the most talked about festival in the world.” We’ve now seen this grow into one of the most expensive GA presales in the industry.
“FYRE is about people from all over the world coming together to create the impossible.” This time we have incredible support.
“I will do what I love, working with the best logistics and infrastructure partners.” In addition, all proceeds from ticket sales will be held in escrow until the final date is announced.
“We look forward to joining our partners in surprising the world as we make FYRE and FYRE Festival II the island adventure of a lifetime.”
While some of his followers vowed to support him all the way, others were not impressed that he would be back for the second round.
“How are you legally allowed to commit this scam again?” said one person.
“Anyone who has ever bought a ticket is an idiot,” wrote another.
“It took 2 days to sell 100 tickets.” “Light demand,” said another.
McFarland was released from prison over a year ago after being convicted and jailed for fraud in 2017
McFarland announced in April that the sequel to its disastrous event is “finally happening”
“Such nonsense and what an idiot to buy a ticket for something that runs 18 months in advance, no date, no place, no performances run by a scammer,” added a fourth.
Last year, in his first interview since his release from prison, McFarland admitted it was “wrong” to proceed with the doomed event.
“I was wrong,” McFarland said during an appearance on Good Morning America.
‘I messed up. I was so driven by a desperate desire to prove people right. I had these early investors, supporters and collaborators, and I think I was just so insecure that I figured the only way to prove myself to them was to be successful, and that’s what led me down this horrible path fuller wrong decisions.
“I have to apologize and that’s the first and last thing that needs to be done.” “I let people down … I should have just canceled everything and stopped lying,” he said.
McFarland claims his time in prison – during which he was sent to solitary confinement on multiple occasions for breaking the rules for conducting multiple interviews behind bars – also gave him a new perspective on doing business.
“I used to take pride in getting things done, not how they were done,” he said.
“I think the most important thing for me going forward is to build relationships throughout the process.” Whether it’s about success or failure in a business sense, it’s more about how it’s done than proud of being that “definitely” idea that’s wrong.”