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Billy McFarland Announces Fyre Festival II Is Officially Happening
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Date:2025-04-16 03:41:28
A new chapter in Fyre Festival's story is coming.
Event organizer Billy McFarland announced on April 9 that the infamous music festival is making a return.
"Fyre Festival II is finally happening," McFarland wrote on Twitter. "Tell me why you should be invited."
As a refresher, in April 2017, McFarland and Ja Rule's co-founded Fyre Festival, which was marketed as a luxurious music event in the Bahamas, became globally famous for all the wrong reasons when festival-goers reported fights over food, robberies, "refugee camp" conditions and difficulties obtaining flights back to the United States.
After the festival's flop, McFarland was arrested and charged for his alleged "connection with a scheme to defraud investors" with his company Fyre Media LLC, prosecutors said at the time, and "a related entity responsible for organizing a music festival."
He later pled guilty to two counts of wire fraud and was sentenced to six years in prison, which he served in part before being released early to a halfway house. He was also ordered to pay investors, vendors and concertgoers $26 million in restitution.
So, how did Twitter users feel about McFarland's April 9 announcement? In response to his tweet, one user wrote, "Tell me why you shouldn't be in jail."
"It's in the best interest of those I owe for me to be working," McFarland replied. "People aren't getting paid back if i sit on the couch and watch tv. and because i served my time."
Meanwhile, a different social media user made it clear they are fond of the idea.
"Greatest comeback since the QR code, I'm here for it," they wrote. "I think if you did a daily / weekly video on finances it would be killer - projected costs, ticket sales, logistics etc Let people buy in to you doing this the right way."
McFarland wrote back, "Love."
While McFarland announced that Fyre Festival II is on the way, the event organizer did not share details on exactly when the festival will be taking place. He did however provide insight on the type of venue: A tropical destination like 2017.
"Going to crush the island version first," McFarland wrote in a separate April 9 tweet, "but @elonmusk Fyre 3 definitely needs to be in space."
But the real question is: Will documentary breakout star Andy King be involved in the remix? The events expert, who went viral for his attempts to secure water for attendees of the original fest, seemingly confirmed his participation by retweeting Billy and saying, "FYRE Festival 2.0 Who's in?? Let's go."
The original festival was postponed on its opening day, April 28, 2017. Per TIME, the decision was announced on the website, reading, "Due to circumstances out of our control, the physical infrastructure was not in place on time and we are unable to fulfill on that vision safely and enjoyably for our guests."
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