Fyre festival 2: tickets go on sale for follow-up to infamous disaster

Tickets to the second Fyre festival have gone on sale this week, promising a more successful experience than the first, which was the subject of a lawsuit.

The infamous first edition was a headline-making disaster in 2017 after guests discovered that their luxury experience was a sham with inadequate accommodation, a lack of organisation and music acts pulling out. It was later referred to as “closer to The Hunger Games … than Coachella”.

Its founder, Billy McFarland, described by Vanity Fair as “the poster boy for millennial scamming”, was convicted of fraud and sentenced to six years in prison. He was later released after less than four years. A New York court also awarded $7,220 each to 277 attendees.

“I’m sure many people think I’m crazy for doing this again,” McFarland said in a statement. “But I feel I’d be crazy not to do it again. After years of reflection and now thoughtful planning, the new team and I have amazing plans for Fyre 2. The adventure seekers who trust the vision and take the leap will help make history.”

The sequel is set to take place on Isla Mujeres in Quintana Roo, Mexico, with tickets going for $1,400 and up to $1.1m. When speaking about the highest-priced package, McFarland has said: “You will be on a boat, have the luxury yachts that we partner with who will be docked and parked outside the island.”

A minimum of $500,000 will go towards the money still owed by McFarland, estimated to be close to $26m.

The official site promises “an electrifying celebration of music, arts, cuisine, comedy, fashion, gaming, sports and treasure hunting” with “unforgettable performances, immersive experiences, and an atmosphere that redefines creativity and culture”.

No lineup has yet been confirmed but McFarland has said it will include “artists across electronic, hip-hop, pop and rock” in an interview with the Today show.

He will not handle the details this time, with partners taking over the festival’s management. He said the festival “really isn’t about the past, and it’s not really about me. It’s about taking the vision, which is strong”.

The first Fyre created a social media storm and a number of documentaries. “We were a little naive in thinking for the first time we could do this ourselves,” McFarland said to Rolling Stone at the time. He added: “We were overwhelmed and just didn’t have the foresight to solve all these problems.”

This week, McFarland also said: “Since 2016 Fyre has been the most talked about music festival in the world. Obviously, a lot of that has been negative, but I think that most people, once they kind of get under the hood and study the plans and see the team behind Fyre 2, they see the upside … And if it’s done well, I think Fyre has a chance to be this annual festival that really takes over the festival industry.”