Instead of dancing on the white sand beaches of Great Exuma in the Bahamas, Fyre Festival attendees have found themselves stranded in airports, some without any food or water, unable to get home.
This three-day party, organized by Ja Rule and tech entrepreneur Billy McFarland’s company, Fyre Media, was supposed to take place on a private beach in the Bahamas for two weekends, April 28-30 and May 5-7.
But guests, who had spent between $450 and $12,000 on tickets, are describing the festival as a “complete disaster,” with half-built tents, delayed flights, and no one around to help.
Take a look:
The three-day party was supposed to be on a private beach on the island of Great Exuma in the Bahamas.
http://instagr.am/p/BRUJQqohn09
A host of supermodels had promoted it on social media, including Hailey Baldwin, Emily Ratajkowski, and Bella Hadid.
Major artists were planning to headline the party.
Guests spent as much as $12,000 on tickets, which included accommodations and flights to the island.
http://instagr.am/p/BSKKuKGBm7a
But when they arrived, it was a very different scene.
So Fyre Fest is a complete disaster. Mass chaos. No organization. No one knows where to go. There are no villas, just a disaster tent city. pic.twitter.com/1lSWtnk7cA
— William Needham Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 27, 2017
Blink-182, who were supposed to headline the festival, had dropped out.
— blink-182 (@blink182) April 27, 2017
The accommodations were not as luxurious as expected.
#FyreFestival update, photos from the ground! pic.twitter.com/Z7fn9cKaz3
— FyreFestivalFraud (@FyreFraud) April 27, 2017
Many of the tents hadn't been put up.
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Early report is that many ofthe tents aren't assembled. Here's their tropical privateisland owned by Escobar! #FyreFestivalpic.twitter.com/TNzBDbNAUJ
— FyreFestivalFraud (@FyreFraud) April 27,2017
Early report is that many ofthe tents aren't assembled. Here's their tropical privateisland owned by Escobar! #FyreFestivalpic.twitter.com/TNzBDbNAUJ
https://twitter.com/MattHalfhill/status/857828241234460672
There were also problems with luggage delivery.
This is how Fyre Fest handles luggage. Just drop it out of a shipping container. At night. With no lights. #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/X5CdZRyJWo
— William Needham Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
And no one was around to help.
Why doesn't #FyreFestival do something?! Communicate with your customers! @Magnises help them out. pic.twitter.com/DUqMtxJc3v
— FyreFestivalFraud (@FyreFraud) April 27, 2017
The concierge hadn't yet been built.
https://twitter.com/Iron_Spike/status/857879408421601280
The festival claimed to offer gourmet food.
Here's the "culinary experience" we got for our artists pass at Fyre Festival. pic.twitter.com/Kk9q9uvkX0
— William Needham Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
But guests said they were given bread, cheese, and salads without dressing.
https://twitter.com/purplemiami/status/857802311925723136
A notebook that a guest said belonged to an organizer had haphazard notes for what looks like a food order.
http://instagr.am/p/BTaw-CXjZ1u
According to The Wall Street Journal, issues with the festival had been brewing since the start of April, as organizers missed a series of deadlines to make advance payments to performers. The sheer size and complexity of putting this festival together had proved problematic, and many of the organizers were not experienced enough to deal with it, they said.
http://instagr.am/p/BSKKr6yh99i
Source: The Wall Street Journal
The artists were eventually paid by the festival's hosts, Billy McFarland and Ja Rule, who were then looking for outside investment to help pay for it, according to The Journal.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Some guests were oblivious to these early warning signs. "If everything goes as advertised, it's going to be sick," a ticket-holder told The Journal.
http://instagr.am/p/BTbIP15AYbf
Source: The Wall Street Journal
During the chaos, organizers updated the website, saying they would send guests back to Miami.
But many guests ended up stranded at the airport.
Just waiting with my Fyre Fest pals to get on the flight out. The plane hasn't left Miami yet. It's lit! #fyre #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/glIYmIG0dc
— William Needham Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
One guest described how she was kept in a room without food or water, waiting for a flight to take off. She said a person fainted because the conditions were so bad.
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We have been locked indoorswith no air NO FOOD and NO water #fyrefestival#fyrefestfyrefraud pic.twitter.com/wg5pZmSvnx
— Lamaan (@LamaanGallal) April28, 2017
We have been locked indoorswith no air NO FOOD and NO water #fyrefestival#fyrefestfyrefraud pic.twitter.com/wg5pZmSvnx
#fyrefestival#fyrefestpic.twitter.com/wg5pZmSvnxApril28, 2017
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism has even weighed in.