Latest news with #FyreFraud
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
In this year's least surprising news, Fyre Festival 2 has been postponed
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. To absolutely no one's surprise at all, Fyre Festival 2, the upcoming Mexican festival promoted by convicted fraudster Billy McFarland, has reportedly been postponed for a second time. The festival – the sequel to the disastrous 2017 event that spawned two documentaries, Hulu's Fyre Fraud and Netflix's Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened – was originally scheduled to take place in 2023 According to ABC News, ticket holders daft enough to part with up to $25,000 for admission have now received an email reading, "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.' The news comes a week after the proposed host city, Playa del Carmen, denied all knowledge of the event in an official statement. The statement read: "Regarding the information that has begun to circulate about a supposed event called 'Fyre 2', the municipal government of Playa del Carmen informs that no event of that name will be held in our city. "After a responsible review of the situation, it is confirmed that there are no records, plans, or conditions that indicate the holding of such an event in the municipality. "This municipal government is acting responsibly and with commitment, always prioritising public order, safety, and social harmony. In response, McFarland posted, "Fyre 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. All media reports suggesting our team has not been working with the government of PDC are simply inaccurate and based on misinformation." Fyre 2 was scheduled to take place from 30 May to 2 June 2025, with tickets on sale for $1400 to $25,000. At the time of writing, tickets are still listed as available for purchase on the festival's website. The original Fyre Festival, scheduled to be held in the Bahamas in 2017, swiftly descended into chaos and ended with zero artists performing, panicked guests fighting over lodgings and food scraps, festival producer Andy King being encouraged to perform fellatio to obtain water and promoter McFarland sentenced to six years in jail after defrauding investors of $27.4 million.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Coachella 2025 draws Fyre Festival comparisons as concertgoers face 12 hour wait times
Coachella 2025 is underway, and long wait lines are causing chaos as campers and concertgoers descend on the California desert, drawing comparisons to the infamous Fyre Festival. While many Coachella festivalgoers who are camping outdoors are already on the grounds, car campers described massive traffic wait times — upwards of 12 hours — in entering festival grounds and arriving to a spot to set up. The desert music festival's first weekend kicks off Friday and goes to Sunday. One social media user took to TikTok saying that they're "starting to think it's Fyre Festival," the infamous 2017 music festival held in the Bahamas where festivalgoers experienced a host of logistical issues. Fyre Festival was the brainchild of businessman Billy McFarland, who was later convicted of fraud and became the subject of two popular documentaries in 2019: "Fyre Fraud" on Hulu and Netflix's "Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened." Coachella 2025: See first week's lineup, daily schedule, set times, how to watch livestream Other festivalgoers said it was a "disaster," with one TikTok showing a random person starting to direct traffic. Other Coachella car campers took to social media to explain their situation as one wrote that they were going to "run out of gas" if there wasn't a fix. In 2018, McFarland was sentenced to six years in prison for engaging in several fraudulent schemes related to Fyre Festival. After his arrest, he acknowledged that he had defrauded investors out of $26 million and more than $100,000 in fraudulent ticket-selling schemes. Is Fyre Festival 2 happening? 2 months out, lineup remains unseen, event changes location This year, McFarland is making a second attempt at the scandal-ridden 2017 festival as he mounts comeback from May 30 to June 2 in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, a recent change from the festival's initially promoted location of Isla Mujeres, Mexico. The location announcement was shared on Fyre Festival's social media on March 21, just 70 days before the festival's first day. But issues loom large as McFarland attempts a comeback with an unseen lineup and logistical shifts. And some on social media are proclaiming that perhaps Coachella's first weekend may have beaten him to the punch with the traffic concerns. Fans who are choosing not to brave the desert heart can watch Coachella performances on YouTube. The streams are scheduled to start on April 11 at 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT. Fans will be able to watch multiple stages from their coach simultaneously, while a vertical live stream option featuring DJ sets will also be available. Some of music's biggest stars and acts are scheduled to grace the stages, including Lady Gaga, Vintage Culture, Travis Scott, Charli XCX, Post Malone and more. The first weekend's events will run from April 11 to 13. The official venue opens at 1 p.m. Friday through Sunday, with general parking opening at 11 a.m. Several sets are scheduled to begin at either 1 p.m. or during that hour. Contributing: Greta Cross, Taylor Ardery, USA TODAY; Paris Barazza, The Desert Sun This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Coachella draws Fyre Festival comparisons amid traffic issues
