In order to ensure his intent to put on Fyre Fest 2 is legit, founder Billy McFarland has been displaying obtained permits. But there’s one detail that’s come to light in the fine print that suggests it might not be the traditional music festival you might expect.
Since McFarland began hyping a second Fyre Festival, he’s faced an uphill challenge in convincing people that the event was actually happening. Initially, the event was scheduled to take place on Isle Mujeres, but shortly after the announcement tourism officials denied having been contacted about the event, having issued any paperwork or having any direct knowledge of the event. McFarland promptly followed with a response detailing the work that was going into putting on the event.
Then, at the end of March, McFarland held a press conference in Playa Del Carmen in Mexico which was announced as the new host of Fyre Fest 2. But just like with the previous destination, the Mexican city’s communication office issued a statement revealing that had been no record or planning of the event and that there would be “no event called Fyre 2” in the city.
Once again that put McFarland having to answer questions about the legitimacy of the festival. He once again ensured that it was “real.” Now, in the sake of transparency, both Fyre Festival and McFarland’s Instagram accounts have shared slides of the documents they have obtained that show they’re working with the local government to stage the event.
“All media reports suggesting our team has not been working with the government of PDC are simply inaccurate and based on misinformation. FYRE has operated as a good partner with PDC government and has followed the proper processes and procedures to lawfully host an event,” it was stated in the posting. “We will be sharing all relevant permits, payments, and communications.”
What Is Being Planned for Fyre Fest 2?
Though there are multiple slides showing paperwork for the event, one key detail was extracted by NME who caught that the permits granted seemingly only authorize a 250-person capacity multi-day listening party.
In one of the permits shown in the Instagram slides of paperwork shown above, the document allows the event to be held at the Martina Beach Club which is where the press conference was at the end of March. But the permit only allows for a 250-max capacity event to be held between the hours of midnight and 4AM over two days (May 30 and June 1) and does not allow for any live performances.
READ MORE: The 2025 Rock + Metal Festival + Cruise Guide
The permit, which was obtained on March 26, allows Fyre Fest 2 to utilize “musica grabada,” which translates to recorded music that can be played at the event.
In one of his previous video responses, McFarland touted, “We have talent. Artists, athletes and other performers are on board and scheduled for Fyre 2,” Meanwhile, in his previous response earlier this month about the veracity of the event, he shared, “We’ll have DJ, rappers, reggae artists, pop stars, but also athletes, divers, models, pilots and creators who will lead the experiences for our guests. Fyre is all about these intimate experiences. We’ll have dozens of artists in a private party-like setting. Fyre is all about the people you’ll meet, the memories you’ll make and the stories that you will be able to tell for the rest of your life.”
He went on to add, “If you and your friends want to ATV through the jungle with a Super Bowl champion, if you want to swim with the sharks with a pop star of if you want to learn MMA on the beach with the UFC champion, DM me and I will personally help you and your friends get set up.”
The website for Fyre Fest 2 is active with ticketing options. However, an actual announcement of which musicians, celebrities and athletes that will be taking part has not been revealed. The website is advertising Fyre Fest 2 to take place from May 30 – June 2.
Why Fyre Festival’s History Raises Red Flags
The initial Fyre Festival became the stuff of meme legend and a legal nightmare for organizer Billy McFarland.
Marketed as a “luxury music festival,” the original Fyre Festival promised an upscale experience on an island in the Bahamas on April 28-30 and May 5-7, 2017. Promotion leading up to the festival relied heavily on social media influencers and models sell tickets.
Prices for the festival ranged anywhere from $500 all the way up to a $12,000 option that included airfare and a luxury tent. The billed lineup included Blink-182, Major Lazer, Migos and others who never played.
The festival turned into a disaster thanks to no music, heavy rain, promised experiences never happening and a social media post showing a cheese sandwich.
The following months saw multiple lawsuits brought against Fyre Festival organizers Billy McFarland and Ja Rule. Both Netflix and Hulu released popular documentaries showing planning and failed execution of the event.
McFarland was granted an early release from federal prison in 2022 after previously pleading guilty to charges of wire fraud. Later that year, McFarland began dropping clues about his next venture before announcing his intent to stage a second Fyre Festival.
15 Most Disastrous Music Festivals in History
Here are some of the most disastrous music festivals in history, many of which proved unacceptably arduous for attendees, but a handful of others that unfortunately turned tragic. You might remember many of these instances — others you may not know about yet. Keep reading to find out.
Gallery Credit: Philip Trapp
