
Fyre Festival sells troubled brand for $245K on eBay
The online sale lasted a week, with 175 bids put in by 42 bidders. The final bid was accepted Tuesday morning at 12:44 p.m. EST.
It's a small price to pay for the Fyre Festival brand, which went from captivating to calamitous in 2017.
What was touted as a luxury glamping music festival, promoted by A-listers in the Bahamas, ended up being a disaster: glamping turned into scattered disaster relief tents with dirt floors, food consisted of meager cheese sandwiches, and artists like Blink-182 pulled out of their shows.
Festival organizer Billy McFarland pleaded guilty to wire fraud and other related crimes stemming from the first festival and was released early from federal prison in 2022.
The first Fyre Festival was the subject of two documentaries on Netflix and Hulu, as well as a social media storm of memes and ridicule.
But that didn't stop his resolve. In 2023, McFarland tweeted there would be a Fyre Festival II on a privately owned island off Mexico. Two years later, organizers announced that the event had been postponed — after tickets had already been sold — with the new date dependent on the location.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
We bought a bus off eBay and transformed it into our dream home... but living on the road has its downsides
A couple who bought a 20-year-old school bus off of eBay and transformed it into their dream home so they could travel the world full-time has lifted a lid on the ups and downs to their nomadic lifestyle. Shaquita Riley, 28, from Lincolnton, North Carolina, and Scott Heltz, 55, from New Orleans, Louisiana, bonded over their shared love of travel when they met in 2019. They quickly started dating, and six months later, they decided to purchase an old bus and convert it into a mobile home so they could set out and see the world together. 'I always loved traveling and dreamed of living in a bus. Scott knew he wanted to travel so it was a natural step,' Shaq explained during an exclusive chat with the Daily Mail. They bought the bus off eBay in June 2020 for $2,950, and they soon got to work on fixing it up. But turning a old rusty bus into a livable home wasn't easy, and the renovations took 'three long years' and cost them another $40,000. They took out the entire roof and raised it by 16 inches before replacing the entire interior. It now has a full kitchen with a stove, oven, microwave, and running water, a living room area with a big couch and flat screen TV, a bathroom with a toilet and shower, a bedroom with a queen bed, and a storage space in the back. Shaquita Riley, 28, and Scott Heltz, 55, bought a 20-year-old school bus off of eBay and paid $40,000 to transform it into their dream home so they travel the world full-time They bought the bus off eBay in June 2020 for $2,950, and they soon got to work on fixing it up. The renovations took 'three long years' and cost them another $40,000 They also added large RV windows, solar panels, multiple 200 gallon water tanks, and a Starlink satellite. In 2023, the couple, along with their two dogs and two cats, sold their home, quit their jobs, and 'officially hit the road.' They have now explored eight states, usually camping in state and national parks. 'We can stay off grid indefinitely or until we run out of water,' Shaq shared. But Shaq, who was going to school online for social psychology, confessed that living on the road and constantly moving around 'has its challenges.' 'For example, we did not have internet service in a lot of places and I had school and homework to do,' she explained. 'There are also challenges to parking a 40-foot bus in the city. Not to mention it's a magnet for thieves and law enforcement.' She also confessed that they sometimes 'fight,' adding, 'Things are not a fairytale. I like things a certain way while Scott's a bit "oh look a squirrel" kinda guy. It now has a sprawling full kitchen (left) with a stove, oven, microwave, and running water, and a living room area (right) with a big couch and flat screen TV The bathroom, seen here, has a toilet and shower There's also a bedroom with a queen bed (seen) and a storage space in the back 'Not to mention there are times we both need to use the toilet!' But she vowed that the space doesn't feel 'cramped' and that the upsides far outweigh the downsides. 'We have built our home entirely how we want it. 'Everything has a specific place and purpose,' she added. 'We get to see the world and travel. We have met some lifelong friends and have seen some incredible sights.' However, one of the hardest parts has been lack of income, since they both left their professions to live on the road, and they recently realized that their lifestyle is not practical for ever. So after two years of moving around they've decided it may be time for something more stable. In 2023, the couple, along with their two dogs and two cats, sold their home, quit their jobs, and 'officially hit the road' But Shaq, who was going to school online for social psychology, confessed that living on the road and constantly moving around 'has its challenges' After two years of moving around they've decided it may be time for something more stable, and the couple recently purchased 20 acres of land in southern Arizona They recently purchased 20 acres of land in southern Arizona and plan to soon buy a giant shipping container to transform into a permanent home. They want to get some farm animals and use solar power and a well so they can be 'self-sufficient' like they are on the bus. Shaq now works as a care coordinator in the mental health field after finishing her bachelors and is about to start her masters in psychology, while Scott is an independent contractor and RV technician. And Shaq vowed that they still plan on using the bus to travel in their free time. 'We intend to build our own homestead on [the land],' shared Shaq. 'We want to be self-sufficient and not rely on traditional means of living. But we still plan on traveling and enjoying life together.'


Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Ozzy Osbourne fans cash in on star's death by selling 'free gift' from last gig
Opportunists are flogging personalised confetti from Ozzy Osbourne's final concert in Birmingham, which they picked up for free, following the Black Sabbath rocker's death Ruthless profiteers are exploiting Ozzy Osbourne's tragic passing by flogging branded confetti they scooped up at the Back To The Beginning gig. The confetti was blasted into the 40,000-strong audience at Villa Park, Birmingham, on July 5. Whilst numerous performers are known to shower confetti over crowds during shows, this had been customised to commemorate the event and is marginally larger than typical confetti. There are two distinct versions of the round paper pieces - one honouring Ozzy and the other paying tribute to his group Black Sabbath. Whilst one side features the appropriate logo, the reverse displays their name alongside the date and venue of the performance, plus the phrase "Birmingham Forever". Numerous concert-goers collected several bits of the confetti as keepsakes, and whilst some were flogging them before Ozzy's demise, many were giving them away free to fellow supporters once they sorted postage. The auction website eBay currently features countless adverts for the memorabilia. One vendor is demanding a staggering £208.68 for two bits of the confetti, which they're hawking alongside a poster from the concert, reports the Express. They don't specify the poster's dimensions, but it looks to be roughly A4 size or smaller, which would set you back about £10 to purchase and can be bought online on alternative sites for considerably less. One buyer is demanding £57.87 plus postage for a mere four pieces of the sought-after confetti, equating to nearly £15 per tiny piece of paper. The same seller is also offering two pieces for £26.67, or £13.33 each. A competing seller is offering four pieces, two of each design, for £31.88, which is nearly £8 per piece of the free confetti. Meanwhile, another seller is offering six pieces for £26.67 or £4.45 each. You can also snap up eight pieces for £28.76, or £3.60 each. One individual is only offering a single piece of the Black Sabbath confetti for £16.12. However, not all are attempting to fleece fans, with some turning the pieces into proper memorabilia. One creative individual has made a display featuring four pieces in a 4 x 6 frame, and they are asking for £21.48 plus postage. Another has transformed individual pieces into keyrings, selling them for £16.13 each. While still making a significant profit, at least you receive a useful item rather than just a tiny piece of paper. They weren't the only ones with this idea; a different user is selling a Black Sabbath confetti keyring for £21.48.


Graziadaily
4 days ago
- Graziadaily
This Sell-Out Zara Lace Dress Is Available In A New Colour
For me, it's rare when a particular item makes me unhappy until I get my hands on it. But this brown Zara lace-detail satin mini dress had me refreshing my app countless times over the space of 48 hours. All to see if it would come back in stock in time for me to order it for Wireless festival a few weeks back. Turns out, it didn't, and this led to my boyfriend being sent out on a mission to find said Zara dress in any store he could around central London. The result? He found the last one in one of Oxford Street's stores, and of course gained instant boyfriend points for retrieving the goods. And the thing is, I didn't even realise the black version of this chocolatey winner had already gone viral (similar to this Dissh dress I've already told you about). But since searching for 'Zara lace dress' on repeat, it seems the algorithm really picked up on my desperation for this dress, and since then, it's been all over my TikTok. Shop: Zara's Satin And Lace Dress Here I am at the festival wearing the Zara dress, sans bra (it's a bit tricky to wear one with the skinny spaghetti straps and lace front detailing), and I loved the way it looked withflat knee-high boots –something I've also been raving about as the outfit to wear when it's hot, but could rain. With lace detailing being a mini trend – being spotted on everything from shorts to tops this season – I'm not surprised this dress with its interesting, expensive-looking cut is a key item. Especially when it's only £49.99, too. After having a quick search, I also discovered that the sell-out black version is currently selling for £105 on eBay, so I've linked this below in case as you feel the urge to get it, like I did. I also recommend having a look on Vinted. Shop: Zara's Satin And Lace Dress I really like how @ has styled her black version over a pair of wide-leg trousers – something I'll definitely be copying to transform mine into a top. If you're happy to get the similar vibe of the viral black Zara dress, without going on a hunt for it, Zara have also just dropped this halter neck version that has the same asymmetric detail and lace placement. And I appreciate how the higher neckline will make it easier when it comes to the bra situation, too. Shop: Zara Satin Lace Dress 3. Zara ZW Collection Satin Lace Dress Price: $49.99 View offer If you don't want to spend more than £49.99 then this style is so similar. The halter neck detail is elevating the humble black dress from all angles – I would wear it with matchy-matchy black heels for a night out or over cream satin trousers with flip flops for a daytime look. Price: £49.99 View offer If a mini dress isn't your thing, or you just prefer wearing separates, then you'll want to know about the new top version, too. Already being spotted all over social, it has the same look of the viral dress, but just shorter, so it's easier to style as a 'nice top and jeans' look, with linen Bermuda shorts or even over a lace maxi skirt for holiday. In black (like that dress), pastel blue or butter yellow, if these sell-out as quick as I think they will, my boyfriend better get his running trainers on to go on another Zara hunt to find them!