Organizers of a Fyre Festival sequel said Wednesday it will no longer take place in the Mexican resort town of Playa Del Carmen after its website momentarily announced the event had been postponed, sparking confusion among ticketholders.
The festival’s promoter, Billy McFarland, told NBC News that the date is dependent on location, so it’s not immediately clear whether the plans to hold a multiday festival next month would change.
In a further statement to ticketholders, organizers were adamant the show would go on.
“FYRE Festival 2 is still on,” it says. “We are vetting new locations and will announce our host destination soon. Our priorities remain unchanged: delivering an unforgettable, safe, and transparent experience.”
But there was doubt earlier Wednesday when the event’s website inexplicably told ticket buyers “FYRE 2 Festival is postponed and will be rescheduled for a later date in the future.” The message was then updated to say tickets were “currently not available.”
The change in venue and the fate of the entire festival, which became synonymous with epic failures in its initial launch, come after Playa Del Carmen officials disputed McFarland’s claim that it was hosting a second Fyre Fest.
Government officials said in a statement April 2 that “after a thorough review, there is no record or planning of any such event in the municipality,” casting confusion about where the event stands.
McFarland, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud and other crimes tied to the first Fyre Fest fiasco in the Bahamas in 2017, had posted documents on his social media accounts April 4 that he said proved that organizers had been working with local officials since March 5 to obtain permits for a Fyre Festival 2.
The event’s website had promised an “electrifying celebration of music, arts, cuisine, comedy, fashion, gaming, sports, and treasure hunting — all set in the stunning location of Playa Del Carmen, Mexico,” from May 30 to June 2.
But one document shared by McFarland indicated that the event at the Martina Beach Club would have a maximum of 250 people during a 12-hour period, a far cry from the 1,800 guests it had planned for. Meanwhile, organizers hadn’t yet announced a lineup of performers or celebrities who would be involved.
Organizers shifted blame onto Playa Del Carmen officials in their statement to ticketholders Wednesday.
“You can’t make this stuff up,” the statement said. “When a government takes your money, issues permits, promotes the event, and then pretends it’s never heard of you, that’s not just dishonest — it’s theft. Due to this, we have decided to move FYRE Festival 2 elsewhere.”
Playa Del Carmen officials couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Organizers have been under scrutiny since McFarland announced in September that he was attempting a comeback with another Fyre Fest at a “privately owned island off Mexico.”
McFarland told NBC News in February that he had secured festival operators, hotel partners, concierge groups and ticket companies for the location on Isla Mujeres, off Cancún.
While he acknowledged there’s a “risk” to people who buy tickets this time around, he said, “What makes Fyre so cool is we are selling the experience of Fyre.”
But Isla Mujeres tourism officials disputed that they had granted any permits for such a festival.
In late March, event organizers said they had found a new location — Playa Del Carmen — at a beachside news conference in Mexico in which McFarland appeared via a video link because he remains under travel restrictions.
Ticket packages were being sold for $1,400 for one person, not including accommodations or travel, to $1.1 million, which organizers said covered eight people for a “Prometheus God of Fyre” pass guaranteeing complimentary accommodations and private air charter.
Soldout.com, which had partnered with ticket sales, told NBC News that it stands “firmly behind our 100% money-back guarantee. Given the recent changes to the date and venue of Fyre Festival 2, all customers who purchased tickets directly through our platform are eligible for a full refund.”
Festival organizers also told ticketholders Wednesday they would issue refunds given the change in location.
Social media influencers promoted the original Fyre Fest in 2017 as a star-studded event with popular musical acts in a luxurious island setting. Attendees paid $1,000 to $12,000 apiece.
Billy McFarland.Theo Wargo / Getty Images file
Instead, the festival went viral for its canceled performers, meager food options, including boxed cheese sandwiches, and accommodations of Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster tents.
In its wake, lawsuits were filed against McFarland, and the saga became the subject of Netflix and Hulu documentaries. In 2018, McFarland was sentenced to six years in prison after federal prosecutors said he lied to investors who lost more than $26 million.
In 2021, some attendees were awarded money in a $2 million class-action settlement. The next year, McFarland was released from prison early after having earned good time credit.
But while he still owes millions in restitution, McFarland, 33, has said the chance to hold another festival is about redemption.
“We have the chance to embrace this storm and really steer our ship into all the chaos that has happened, and if it’s done well, I think Fyre has a chance to be this annual festival that really takes over the festival industry,” he said in September.
He added that he had hired a festival production company to “handle the stages and the bathrooms and all the stuff that I clearly don’t know how to do.”
Sophie Comeau contributed.
