It was the biggest music festival to take place in 2017. Luxury and indulgence. Fame and fortune. Celebrity A-listers and first class participants were promised a weekend of extravagance. A weekend of catered five-star food, unlimited drinks, private jets and villas all for one ticket price starting at $12,000.
When guests arrived, they found themselves in hurricane shelter tents with soaking wet mattresses and a styrofoam box carrying two pieces of bread with a slice of cheese in between.
Image courtesy of The Telegraph
Founder Billy McFarland operated on a negative budget, but he refused to cancel the festival. Leaving promises broken and employees unpaid.
Both Netflix and Hulu have released documentaries about this giant scam. Hulu’s is Fyre Fraud, and Netflix’s is Fyre.
I am not much of a documentary type of person, but I absolutely loved Fyre. It interviewed producers, influencers, employees and anyone who had a role in the curation of this “festival.”
Image courtesy of The Daily Beast
The event was literally a trainwreck, one of which you could not look away from. Common sense tells you to scream at the screen, asking why they do not just stop. However, you’re simultaneously staying quiet just waiting to see how far they’ll go.
Guests were promised a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and they got just that. Check it out next time you’re in the need to watch something. Your mind will be blown away with the glamourous fraud that took more than just money from people.