Fyre Fest In Bahamas Fizzles, Concert Goers Stranded
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) - The super exclusive, super hyped, and downright expensive, Fyre Fest in the Bahamas has fizzled.
Fyre Festival, promoted by super models and Kendall Jenner, had promised "culinary delights and luxury" over two weekends with tickets starting at $500 and going as high as $1,200.
But at the last minute organizers called the festival off, leaving many party-goers stranded and needing assistance from the U.S. embassy.
Fyre Festival organizers announced the cancellation of the "once-in-a-lifetime" concert on Twitter and their website after many fans had already arrived. People complained of spending thousands of dollars on tickets and travel to the Exuma islands in the Bahamas for what were supposed to be performances by Blink-182 and others.
Those stuck on the island took to Twitter to show what was really going on.
William N. Finley IV who arrived on Thursday posted that "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."
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 N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
The "luxury" glamping tents are leftover disaster relief tents from USAid. https://t.co/gFsgUWNdP5
— Iron Spike (@Iron_Spike) April 28, 2017
Here's the "culinary experience" we got for our artists pass at Fyre Festival. pic.twitter.com/Kk9q9uvkX0
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
The "catering" (which cost extra) was a slice of untoasted bread, two slices prepackaged cheese, and a side salad. pic.twitter.com/BoKxWAMI5i
— Iron Spike (@Iron_Spike) April 28, 2017
Stuck at #fyrefestival trying to leave for the last 8 hours. barley any food or water or security or electricity pic.twitter.com/jHPMnJw5gx
— Lamaan (@LamaanGallal) April 28, 2017
People are now leaving Fyre Fest in droves. #fyre #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/gDsYBlh4pY
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
.@WNFIV So to recap? Some Instagram kids just paid between $450 & +$12k... to be stranded... in a tropical tent city. Cuz some models told them to.
— Iron Spike (@Iron_Spike) April 28, 2017
Visitors at the event called it a fraud.
Event organizers blamed "unforeseen and extenuating circumstances" in a Twitter post. They said they were working to arrange flights to Miami for those who had already arrived in Exuma and said inbound flights had been canceled.
Hip hop mogul Ja Rule, one of the organizers of the event, tweeted out he was "heartbroken" at how the festival turned out but that it was not a scam.
— Ja Rule (@jarule) April 28, 2017
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)