Billy McFarland has addressed a number of concerns surrounding Fyre Festival 2 in a video statement.
Billy McFarland is doubling down on his announcement last month that Fyre Festival 2 will take place on Isla Mujeres in Mexico from May 30 – June 2. He addressed authorities claims to the contrary in a seven-part video statement meant to quell the wide range of concerns swirling around the dubious event.
“Fyre is real,” McFarland says at the beginning of the Instagram post, offering no nuanced explanation of how his dealings with local authorities could have been misconstrued. This is apparently in reference to Isla Mujeres Tourism Directorate Edgar Gasca telling The Guardian that, “for us, this is an event that does not exist.”
McFarland then mentions his “incredible partners,” who he claims are “in charge of logistics, productions, and operations.” While he doesn’t mention the outfit by name, he presumably means Mexico-based Lostnights, who was announced as a key collaborator last month.
Next, McFarland promises “accommodations with villas, yachts, and hotels.” He shares that he has terminated relationships with two hotels who that been contacted by the media and said they weren’t involved in Fyre Festival 2. It is unclear whether Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets, which denied any involvement with the festival in a February statement, is one of the hotels McFarland is referring to as they’re still listed as a partner on the event website.
“We have talent,” McFarland then declares, apparently addressing reactions to the Today appearance in which he sidestepped a question about whether any artists had been booked. He promises that “artists, athletes, and other performers” are “on board and scheduled,” again mentioning none of them by name in spite of the festival purportedly taking place in less than three months.
McFarland then touches on the fallout from the 2017 debut edition of Fyre Festival. He says that he has “made 40 restitution payments since being released 30 months ago,” and that he intends to do more than is “legally required” of him, “giving large percentage of Fyre’s profits directly to restitution.” McFarland spent four years in federal prison for wire fraud after attendees showed up to a garbage-littered event site on the Bahamian island of Exhumas with extremely scarce food and shelter.
Apparently referring to another remark by Edgar Gasca, the Isla Mujeres tourism directorate, McFarland insists that Fyre’s organizers have “remained in communication with local and state government to ensure full compliance and a successful event.” Gasca had claimed that nobody involved with the festival had contacted his office.
“Fyre 2 is moving forward, and we are moving forward with full integrity,” McFarland says toward the end of the video. Given the brand’s disastrous history — not to mention that his statement hasn’t meaningfully addressed any of the public’s concerns — it’s hard to imagine anyone putting any stock into his assertion.
More information on what organizers plan for the gathering, including on its $1.1 million “Prometheus” ticket package, is available on the Fyre Festival 2 website.