Fyre Festival founder says the brand is now for sale, second festival canceled: ‘I can't risk a repeat.' Here's how we got here.
The festival, which was scheduled to take place in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, from May 30 to June 2, was McFarland's second attempt at hosting a multiday music festival after the disastrous Fyre Festival he co-planned with rapper Ja Rule in 2017, which resulted in him pleading guilty to wire fraud and being sentenced to six years in federal prison.
In a post on Instagram, McFarland explained that planning Fyre Festival 2 was about 'finishing what I started and making things right.' But, he wrote that he and his team realized 'the best way to accomplish our goals is to sell the FYRE Festival brand, including its trademarks, IP, digital assets, media reach and cultural capital — to an operator that can fully realize its vision.'
'Giving control of the brand to a new group is the most responsible way to follow through on what we set out to do,' McFarland continued. 'We will pick the new group based on their ability to execute the vision.'
Anyone interested in the brand can visit its website to see a list of assets that will be included in the purchase, including email and text contact lists, and screenshot attachments showing Fyre Festival's social media reach and website traffic.
Interested buyers can fill out a form at the bottom of the page.
This news comes one week after it was first reported that Fyre Festival 2 had been postponed. At that time, Fyre Festival organizers told ticket buyers they were 'vetting new locations and will announce our host destination soon,' according to an email obtained by TMZ.
In May 2017, McFarland and Ja Rule were sued for $100 million in a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the attendees. The following month, McFarland was arrested and charged with wire fraud in Manhattan federal court for his involvement in organizing the Fyre Festival. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six years in federal prison in October 2018.
McFarland was relocated to a halfway house in March 2022 after serving less than four years and was no longer under house arrest as of September 2022. Two years later, he confirmed his plans to try and host another festival
Here's what's happened since then.
September 2024: McFarland confirms on the Today show that Fyre Festival 2 will take place from April 25 to April 28, 2025.
'We have a private island off the coast of Mexico in the Caribbean, and we have an incredible production company who's handling everything from soup to nuts,' he said. He did not state the name of the island.
February 24, 2025: Fyre Festival 2 tickets go on sale, ranging in cost from $1,400 to $1.1 million. The site advertises that the second Fyre Festival will take place on Isla Mujeres, a tropical island off of Cancún, Mexico. No artists are announced as taking part in the event.
'Fyre 2 is real,' McFarland says during another appearance on Today. 'My dream is finally becoming a reality.'
Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Fyre Festival 2 tickets go on sale as Billy McFarland attempts to come back from 2017 disaster: 'My dream is finally becoming a reality'
February 27: Edgar Gasca, a representative from the tourism directorate of Isla Mujeres, tells the Guardian when asked about Fyre Festival 2, 'For us, this is an event that does not exist.'
March 21: McFarland announces on Instagram that the festival will now take place 'in the heart of the Riviera Maya.'
March 27: Fyre Festival hosts a press conference at Martina Beach Club in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. During the press conference, McFarland announces the event will be held in Playa del Carmen from May 30 to June 2.
Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Fyre Festival 2 is still on, Billy McFarland says. How he plans to lock down lodging and musical artists.
March 30: McFarland posts a video on Instagram labeled an 'Important FYRE Festival Update.' In it, he claims there will be 1,800 attendees and that a lineup will soon be released.
'We'll have DJs, rappers, reggae artists, pop stars, but also athletes, divers, models, pilots and creators who will lead the experiences for our guests,' McFarland says. 'We'll have dozens of artists in a private party-like setting.'
April 2: Playa del Carmen City Hall posts on X: 'There will be no event called 'Fyre 2' in Playa del Carmen.'
April 4: McFarland writes on X that he has been 'working directly with the government of Playa del Carmen (PDC) and their officials since March 5, 2025 to ensure a safe and successful event.'
April 16: NBC News reports that an alert was temporarily posted on the Fyre Festival 2 ticket site, saying the event had been postponed and attendees would be getting emails confirming a new date.
ABC News reports the festival is postponed, citing an unnamed ticket holder who says they received an email saying, "The event has been postponed and a new date will be announced. We have issued you a refund. Once the new date is announced, at that time, you can repurchase if it works for your schedule."
McFarland reportedly confirmed the postponement to TMZ, blaming the cost of permits and saying that he and the organizers were already looking for new locations and dates for ticket buyers. TMZ published the alleged email organizers sent out to ticket buyers, which states, 'FYRE Festival 2 will no longer take place in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.'
April 23: McFarland posts an announcement on Instagram that he is selling Fyre Festival branding to anyone interested. He says, 'For FYRE Festival 2 to succeed, it's clear that I need to step back and allow a new team to move forward independently, bringing the vision to life on this incredible island.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
25 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Dog Keeps Owner Company During Workouts—Hysterics at What He Learns
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A dog's attempt to work out with his owner during a training session has gone viral in a hilarious clip. Bri Schneider, 31, and her husband, Zeke, 34, live in St Petersburg, Florida, with their adored dogs Rambo, 8, and 5-year-old Mojito. The couple do everything with their pups—including, it appears, working out. Schneider and Zeke have a home gym, and during a recent workout, Mojito decided to join Zeke for a training session, possibly for further motivation, or as Schneider described it: "My dog likes to mock my husband during his workouts." In a video posted to their TikTok account, @schneidersonthego on June 30, viewed close to 600,000 times, Zeke is focusing on doing sit-ups, while their Rottweiler, Rambo, takes a nap next to him. Mojito is also lying beside him—but rather than take a nap, Old English Sheepdog Mojito is on his back, his front paws curled up before him, and kicking his hind legs wildly in the air, as though trying to copy his owner. "He has always done this," Schneider told Newsweek. "He does it a lot, and also does it outside of the gym." Mojito the Old English Sheepdog joins his owner in a workout session. Mojito the Old English Sheepdog joins his owner in a workout session. TikTok @schneidersonthego She added: "My husband enjoys his workout buddy, but also gets a little distracted!" Schneider, who also posts to Instagram under the name @bri__schneider, captioned the post: "You're doing it wrong, dad!" TikTok users were in stitches, one describing Mojito as "man's best workout buddy," and another joking: "When they say dogs are just toddlers this is what they mean." One asked: "Sign us up for Mojito's next class," and while another joked: "Heaven forbid a dog work on their abs," yet another described it as the dog "doing bicycle kicks." And as one commenter summed it up: "He is doing leg day." Bri Schneider, Zeke Schneider, Mojito and Rambo. Bri Schneider, Zeke Schneider, Mojito and Rambo. Bri Schneider While dogs don't need to do crunches or squats to get fit, exercise is extremely important for their mental and physical health. Walking is the best way to get a dog exercise, but there are also indoor-friendly activities you can do with your dog to keep them fit. A tug-of-war, indoor fetch, creating a scavenger hunt or even an indoor obstacle course are ways to keep your dog active if you're unable to get outside for a walk, according to a vet-reviewed report from PetMD. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Charlize Theron reveals why she has ‘zero interest' in dating fellow Hollywood stars: ‘Not a good thing'
Charlize Theron has opened up about her dating life, saying she has 'zero interest' in striking up a romance with a fellow Hollywood actor. Appearing on Alex Cooper's 'Call Her Daddy' podcast Wednesday, the 'Old Guard' actress lifted the lid on her dating likes, dislikes and everything in between. 'No, my god. No, no, no,' the Oscar winner, 49, said when asked if she wanted 'a man in the industry.' Advertisement 4 Charlize Theron has opened up about her dating life, saying she has 'zero interest' in striking up a romance with a fellow Hollywood actor. 'I don't think that dating somebody in my industry is a smart thing. I'm not saying it's impossible. I'm not saying that it's not binary. I just think that in general it's not a good thing for me.' Theron opened up about her dating life as a single mother of two adopted daughters: Jackson, whom she adopted in 2012, and August, whom she adopted three years later. Advertisement 'I don't have to share them with somebody,' she said of her girls. 'I love that I don't have to run every f–king thing by a guy.' 'I can tell that no man's moving into our house while my daughters are there,' she added. 4 The 'Old Guard' actress lifted the lid on her dating likes, dislikes and everything in between. Getty Images for LVMH x Vogue x NBC Theron said that while she's open to long-term commitment with a partner, she's not looking to tie the knot anytime soon. Advertisement 'I'm not missing a relationship. I'm not missing the partnership that I think people think you miss when you're me,' she explained. Elsewhere during the interview, the actress detailed her colorful experience with one-night stands — including one with a 26-year-old. 4 Theron said that while she's open to long-term commitment with a partner, she's not looking to tie the knot anytime soon. charlizeafrica/Instagram 'I've probably had three one-night stands in my entire life,' she said. 'But I did just recently f–k a 26-year-old and it was really f–king amazing. And I've never done that. I was like, 'Oh, this is great. OK.'' Advertisement She admitted that when it comes to one-night stands, she 'should have done this in my 20s.' 'I'm having the kind of sex I never had in my 20s or in my 30s,' Theron said. 'We should be the ones that are like f–k you. I'm going to have an orgasm.' Start your day with all you need to know Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Theron has had several high-profile relationships over the years. The actress dated Craig Bierko from 1995 to 1997, before striking up a romance with Third Eye Blind frontman Stephan Jenkins, which lasted until late 2001. 4 The actress also detailed her colorful experience with one-night stands — including one with a 26-year-old. charlizeafrica/Instagram That year, she began dating Irish actor Stuart Townsend after meeting him on the set of the crime thriller 'Trapped.' The pair's lengthy romance came to an end in 2009. The 'Monster' star's last public relationship was with Sean Penn, which kickstarted in 2013. The pair called it quits two years later.
Business Insider
2 hours ago
- Business Insider
'Love Island USA' proves we're used to being watched
If you want to understand how constantly carrying a camera in your pocket has affected the way we think, behave, and fall in love, watch "Love Island USA." On Tuesday, the 26th (!!!) episode of season seven aired on Peacock, meaning the original cast members have been secluded in an open-air Fiji villa for about one month. Based on how the show typically progresses, by this time, there should be several strong connections between the islanders, couples for the viewers to root for and, eventually, to vote for as joint winners of a $100,000 cash prize. Instead, a common refrain among viewers online is that, at this point, no one deserves the money. Calls for the producers to " cut the cameras" and " delete the whole cast" abound. This season has made a negative impression for various reasons, chief among them being an apparent lack of sincerity. The islanders seem hyper-aware of their role as entertainers and competitors, much too preoccupied with how they're being perceived by an invisible audience to be truly honest and vulnerable with each other. Can we blame them? It's not only that cameras are pointed at the islanders from every angle, in every nook and cranny of the villa, during every minute of the day — it's that reality TV has reached the point where viable cast members are already accustomed to those exact conditions. It's painfully clear that living in an age of constant surveillance has taken its toll on these twentysomethings. This season, the cast's ages have ranged from 21 (Vanna) to 29 (Zak), though most hover in the 23-27 range. Their lives have been defined by the advent and proliferation of smartphones; the rise of YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok; and with these gadgets and platforms, a new kind of celebrity known as the "influencer." These days, some genre of content creator is one of the most commonly cited dream jobs for Gen Alpha kids. Speaking as someone who came of age in a post-9/11 world, who happily forked over my personal data to Mark Zuckerberg when I had yet to hit puberty, my generation's expectation of privacy ceased to exist pretty quickly. But when a person grows up idolizing those who found fame by broadcasting their personal lives, the value of privacy is also lost. Meanwhile, the expectation to perform is more intense than ever. Even beyond the villa, it feels like there are spectators everywhere we go — with the way social media trends leak into real life and how people have normalized filming strangers and themselves in the hopes of going viral. Amaya Espinal is one of the few islanders not afraid to show real emotion Inside the villa, this expectation is dialed up to maximum levels. With the exception of Amaya Espinal — who is so raw and sincere that her willingness to express emotion has been repeatedly mocked by her castmates — the Gen Zers on "Love Island" seem to be putting up a front because they probably are; it comes as naturally to them as posing for a photo or curating a dating app profile. This inevitably makes it difficult for the islanders to forge genuine intimacy, especially in the fires of reality TV. As April Eldemire, a licensed marriage and family therapist, previously told Business Insider's Julia Pugachevsky, vulnerability and open communication are keys to a lasting relationship. "You have to go in with open eyes," she said. However, this doesn't necessarily make the islanders "fake." It makes them products of an environment that billionaires and tech companies created — and a tragic mirror for the rest of us.
