The infamous Fyre Festival was to take place over two weekends in the spring of 2017 and was promoted as a high-end affair. Those who did make it to the island destination, found it to be an experience they’d surely rather forget.
According to NPR, nearly 300 people could be looking at $7,000+ payouts as part of a recent ruling. Another hearing is set for mid-May and the results will determine whether the compensation goes through and exactly how much these folks will receive.
The festival was founded by Fyre Media CEO Billy McFarland and rapper Ja Rule, the event was meant to promote a new music booking app. The deep lineup was set to include everyone from Blink 182 to Tyga to Major Lazer. The initial buzz around the event took the internet by storm and organizers hired a number of influential social media personalities to spread the word. Tickets for Fyre Festival cost anywhere from $500 to $12,000 promising a unique experience and in many cases, luxury accommodations.
Epic Fail
When Fyre Media began actually planning the event they found themselves in way over their head. They simply didn’t have time to plan a music festival of the imagined magnitude in the time they allotted. Not to mention the fact that they ran out of money after underestimating associated costs.
Two documentaries have been produced on the Fyre Festival, and both offer much insight into the challenges faced. Each film can be viewed on Netflix and/or Hulu and was released in January of 2019.
The initial teaser trailer painted the event in a colorful light. Perhaps they shouldn’t have spent their money promoting on social media and instead focused on actually planning out the concert.
For more details you can link up with the story on NPR.
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