Fyre Fest II Happening 8 Years After Disastrous Music Festival Despite Being A 'Risk'

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Jane LaCroix is a Newsweek writer based in Miami, FL. Her focus is reporting on U.S. celebrity news and viral trends. She has in depth knowledge of celebrity and internet culture and has covered entertainment news extensively. Jane joined Newsweek in 2024 from Ranker and had previously worked at People and HollywoodLife. She is a graduate of Fitcburg State University in Fitchburg, MA. You can get in touch with Jane by emailing j.lacroix@newsweek.com. Languages: English.

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Fyre Festival II is officially happening, and it's set to make waves — this time, hopefully for the right reasons.

Billy McFarland, the infamous founder of the original Fyre Festival, confirmed the event is a go during an interview on Today on Monday, February 24, the same day tickets went on sale. "Fyre II is real. My dream is finally becoming a reality," McFarland, 33, said eight years after the original festival's disastrous failure.

Scheduled for May 30 to June 2 in Isla Mujeres, Mexico, Fyre Festival II promises to offer an upgraded experience, with McFarland now working alongside a major festival operator and other travel and hospitality partners to avoid the logistical nightmares that plagued the first event. "We've given our partners time to get everything ready," McFarland explained to Today, noting that the event's dates were pushed back a month.

Billy McFarland is seen on July 13, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. jfizzy/Star Max/GC Images

"I think it's always a risk. You're taking a risk because I made a lot of bad decisions and messed up the first festival. Until it's experienced, there is a risk to it." McFarland noted while explaining the event might not be for everyone.

The original Fyre Festival, launched in 2017 with rapper Ja Rule, was meant to be a luxurious music festival experience on the island of Great Exuma but turned into a disaster, leaving attendees stranded with inadequate food, shelter, and medical services. This fiasco led to lawsuits, McFarland's conviction for wire fraud, and a six-year prison sentence, though he was released in 2022. Ja Rule, for his part, was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Despite the scandal, McFarland is pressing forward with Fyre Festival II, though not much has been revealed about the lineup just yet. He also admitted that he's not in charge of booking the talent but promised big names will be announced soon.

McFarland also acknowledged that his legal restrictions may prevent him from attending the festival. When asked if he'll be in attendance, the entrepreneur told Today, "I don't know. I have to be OK with, mentally, maybe watching a livestream from my computer and crying a little bit."

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