Fyre Festival revived? Viral botched influencer event sets 'second chance' in Mexico

“Fyre Festival 2 is real.”

At slightest that’s what Billy McFarland, the convicted fraudster and promoter down the archetypal and failed Fyre Festival successful 2017, declared Monday. McFarland and the Instagram relationship for the failed influencer lawsuit announced that Fyre Festival 2 is coming soon with tickets present connected sale.

“I’m definite galore radical deliberation I’m brainsick for doing this again. But I consciousness I’d beryllium brainsick not to bash it again,” McFarland said connected Instagram. “After years of reflection and present thoughtful planning, the caller squad and I person astonishing plans for FYRE 2.”

He added: “Thank you to my partners for the 2nd chance.”

McFarland’s Fyre Festival, according to its website, volition travel to Mexico’s Isla Mujeres from May 30 to June 2. In 2017, the archetypal Fyre Festival advertised 2 weekends of a luxury euphony lawsuit connected a backstage land successful Exuma, the Bahamas. Attendees, immoderate who shelled retired much than $10,000 for tickets, alternatively were met with canceled shows, tents that struggled to withstand stormy conditions and bittersweet food sandwiches. The botched event, founded by McFarland and rapper Ja Rule, rapidly went viral and became the taxable of respective documentaries including Netflix’s “Fyre.”

In 2018, McFarland pleaded blameworthy to defrauding investors of $26 cardinal successful the Coachella-wannabe and implicit $100,000 successful a fraudulent ticket-selling scheme. Dubbed a “serial fraudster” by a New York judge, McFarland was sentenced to six years successful national prison. He was released aboriginal and placed nether location apprehension successful 2022 and has since been readying a caller section for Fyre.

If quality astir Fyre Festival 2 sounds familiar, that’s astir apt due to the fact that McFarland archetypal announced tickets were on merchantability successful August 2023. That mentation was expected to instrumentality to the Caribbean, but was yet scrapped and tickets were refunded.

The newest Fyre Festival motorboat touts 4 summons tiers ranging from $1,400 to $1.1 cardinal and vague promises of “an electrifying solemnisation of music, arts, cuisine, comedy, fashion, gaming, sports and treasure hunting.” The newest mentation of the festival boasts “unforgettable performances, immersive experiences,” but the website presently does not diagnostic an creator lineup.

It clarifies: “FYRE Experiences volition beryllium released successful a fig of experiential drops starring up to the festival.”

McFarland told NBC’s “Today” successful an interview that “my imagination is yet becoming a reality” and that Fyre Festival 2 “isn’t astir the past.” He did not corroborate whether Fyre has locked successful talent, doubling down that the artists volition beryllium unveiled later.

The Fyre Festival website says “all summons packages are constricted and expected to merchantability retired quickly.” Whether Fyre Festival 2 volition emergence from the ashes of its predecessor oregon look the aforesaid viral firestorm remains to beryllium seen.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.