“Greetings, everyone! Today marks a significant day, as the official sale of tickets for Fyre Festival II has commenced,” announced the festival’s founder, Billy McFarland. He appeared in a video, donning a fluffy white robe, which he uploaded to his personal YouTube channel on a Sunday.
It’s been six years since the ill-fated original Fyre Festival unfolded on Great Exuma Island in the Bahamas. Well, let’s say it “unfolded” loosely—while attendees did arrive for a music festival, they were met with catastrophe. Promised “luxury lodging” turned out to be tents, “gourmet food” was reduced to haphazard cheese sandwiches, and the artists scheduled to perform were conspicuously absent.
This notorious event was documented in two competing documentaries: Netflix’s “FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened” and Hulu’s “Fyre Fraud.” Subsequently, McFarland himself was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud charges connected to the festival.
McFarland initially revealed his intention to organize a second Fyre Festival in an April 9 post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Now, ticket sales have begun, even though there are no concrete details available about the event. Remarkably, McFarland claims that his initial batch of 100 tickets has already sold out.
Billy McFarland was released from federal prison in March 2022 and subsequently placed under “community confinement” in New York, according to Entertainment Weekly. He has been on supervised release since.
Notably, McFarland spent time in solitary confinement in 2020 and 2021 after participating in an interview on the podcast “Dumpster Fyre,” as revealed by his attorney. He asserted that it was during this period that he conceived the idea for his new venture.
“It really all started during this seven-month stint in solitary confinement,” McFarland stated in the Fyre Festival II announcement video. “I wrote out this 50-page plan of how I would harness the global interest and demand for Fyre, how I would leverage my ability to unite people worldwide to achieve the seemingly impossible, and how I would seek out the world’s best partners to help me execute Fyre’s vision at the highest level.”
In addition, McFarland indicated in an April X post, following the announcement of Fyre Festival II, that it was “in the best interest” of those he owed money to continue working. “People aren’t getting paid back if I sit on the couch and watch TV,” he wrote in the post.
When and Where Is Fyre Festival II?
Fyre Festival II’s location is vaguely specified as the Caribbean, with a Google Maps link leading to the “Caribbean Sea.” However, it is unlikely that the festival will return to the Bahamas, as the Bahamian Ministry of Tourism explicitly stated that they would not endorse any event associated with McFarland, considering him a fugitive.
The festival’s website lists the date as Friday, December 6, 2024, though McFarland mentioned in his announcement video that they were vaguely “targeting Fyre Festival II for the end of next year.” Small text at the bottom of the website acknowledges that the festival’s date is “subject to change.”
How Can You Purchase Tickets for Fyre Festival II?
Tickets will be released in waves at increasing price points to incentivize early purchases. The next 400 tickets, slated to go on sale “soon,” will cost $799, followed by 100 tickets at $1,199, the subsequent 50 at $1,799, and so on. The final listed ticket tier, “pre-sale last chance,” will cost $7,999, according to the website.
Unfortunately, specific dates for the release of these ticket batches are not provided. The website also includes a wait-list form, inviting not only potential attendees but also investors, performers, vendors, and workers, with the question, “Why you?”
According to both the festival website and McFarland himself, the first wave of tickets has already sold out. However, verifying this claim is challenging, if not impossible. A few individuals, such as Victoria Medvedenko, reportedly purchased tickets for $549.89 each. Medvedenko, a 20-year-old nursing student, expressed minimal concern about the festival’s outcome, stating, “I’m sure I’ll get my money back so I don’t really see it as much of a loss either way.”
Fyre Festival Merchandise and the Lineup
Interested patrons can also explore Fyre Festival merchandise, including a “Dad Hat” for $40, a hoodie for $200, and sweatpants for $100, all listed for sale. However, it’s worth noting that the images for these products appear to be mock-up designs and not actual manufactured items.
As for the festival lineup, there is no information available at this time. We’ll have to wait and see what unfolds in the coming months.
Billy McFarland also mentioned in his announcement video that he was collaborating with “one of the biggest and best TV companies in the world” to produce another documentary titled “After the Fyre.” Additionally, he revealed plans to work with “one of the biggest production companies” on a deal for “Fyre Festival: The Broadway Musical,” which is arguably more intriguing than the prospect of another Fyre Festival itself.
According to McFarland, there will be pop-up events and activities “around the world” leading up to the festival, with at least four such events mentioned on the festival’s site.
While the success of Fyre Festival II remains uncertain, McFarland appears undaunted. “This is everything I’ve been working towards,” he declared in the video. “Let’s make it happen.”
As of now, an email address listed for inquiries on the Fyre Festival II website has not responded to Insider’s request for additional information and comments. Additionally, McFarland has not immediately responded to a request for comment sent via X.
