Fyre festival 2 has been “postponed”, according to messages sent to ticket holders, just weeks before it was scheduled to start.
The event, advertised as a luxury music festival, was supposed to take place in Mexico from 30 May to 2 June. It was intended as an improved followup to the failed Fyre festival in 2017, which experienced problems with security, food, accommodation, medical services and artist relations, resulting in the festival being indefinitely postponed and eventually cancelled.
“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,” read a message sent to ticket holders, ABC News reported.
Billy McFarland, a businessman who organized the initial festival alongside rapper Ja Rule, was convicted of wire fraud in connection with the failed 2017 festival.
The new festival was being marketed under the slogan “FYRE Festival 2 is real”. Tickets, which went on sale in February, started at $1,400. Luxury tickets with artist access ran up to as high as $25,000.
A $1 million package, titled “Prometheus God of Fyre” was also offered. This option was intended for only eight people, and said to include a four-stateroom yacht and 24/7 private chauffeur service.
Despite descriptions about the location of the sequel festival on the website, Mexico officials had previously confirmed that no event of that name was planned to be held there.
“We have no knowledge of this event, nor contact with any person or company about it,” Edgar Gasca, from the tourism directorate of Isla Mujeres, told the Guardian. “For us, this is an event that does not exist.”
At the time, McFarland responded on Instagram to defend the festival, saying: “First, Fyre 2 is real. Second, we have incredible partners leading the festival.”
The official Instagram account for the festival later posted in April: “All media reports suggesting our team has not been working with the government of PDC are simply inaccurate and based on misinformation.”
It continued: “FYRE has operated as a good partner with PDC government and has followed the proper processes and procedures to lawfully host an event.”
