Often, as I’m working my 9-5 desk job, I wonder what it would be like to be an over-privileged Instagram kid, enjoying the high life. But today I’m grateful that I’m a pleb, because said Instagram kids are currently stranded on an island in the Bahamas Lord of the Flies style after a festival/scam gone wrong.
If It Seems Too Good To Be True…
Promoted on social media by supermodels including Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Emily Rratajkowski and Elsa Hosk, Fyre Festival promised to be a boutique festival with amenities to rival those of the luxury resorts. Tickets for the event, which is being held in Exuma, Bahamas, reached prices of $12,000, and included chartered flights from Miami, private villas, yacht rides and the chance to hang out with models. Headliners included the likes of Major Lazer, Disclosure, Rae Sremmurd, Migos, and Blink-182.
It Probably Is
After shelling out thousands to party on the beach with supermodels, festival-goers were greeted with half-built tents and piles of trash, according to Twitter and Reddit posts from attendees. Meals, which were supposed to be catered by five-star chefs, were little more than a pile of vegetables and sliced bread with Kraft cheese layered on top. With little to no security around to stop the chaos and no festival organizers to give direction, madness ensued. Luggage was thrown haphazardly into a crowd of stranded people and wild dogs were reportedly running around the island as fights broke out between attendees and locals. Amidst all this chaos, flights were cancelled to and from the island, essentially stranding hundreds of people.
Also, we found a notebook from one of the Fyre Fest planners on the ground. It is amazing. #fyrefestival #fyre pic.twitter.com/jFib0nO2RW
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
Expectation v. Reality for the biggest scamming festival in the 21st Century #FyreFestival@WNFIV @FyreFraud pic.twitter.com/75SZb6iDdm
— Alex Sanchez (@AXELSCYTHE) April 28, 2017
These are the secure lockers at Fyre Fest. They forgot to tell us we needed locks. #fyrefestival #fyrefest pic.twitter.com/Tqyjqbg2Gy
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
This is how Fyre Fest handles luggage. Just drop it out of a shipping container. At night. With no lights. #fyrefestivalpic.twitter.com/X5CdZRyJWo
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
A view of the luxury food court with some luxury school bus transportation at Fyre Festival. #fyre #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/XL3PtRw8q0
— William N. Finley IV (@WNFIV) April 28, 2017
There has been no word from festival organizers, including Ja Rule, however the official website of the festival has been updated with the following message:
“Fyre Festival set out to provide a once-in-a-lifetime musical experience on the Islands of the Exumas.
Due to circumstances out of our control, the physical infrastructure was not in place on time and we are unable to fulfill on that vision safely and enjoyably for our guests. At this time, we are working tirelessly to get flights scheduled and get everyone off of Great Exuma and home safely as quickly as we can. We ask that guests currently on-island do not make their own arrangements to get to the airport as we are coordinating those plans. We are working to place everyone on complimentary charters back to Miami today; this process has commenced and the safety and comfort of our guests is our top priority.
The festival is being postponed until we can further assess if and when we are able to create the high- quality experience we envisioned.
We ask for everyone’s patience and cooperation during this difficult time as we work as quickly and safely as we can to remedy this unforeseeable situation. We will continue to provide regular updates via email to our guests and via our official social media channels as they become available.
-The Fyre Festival Team”
Twitter Reacts
While the situation is no doubt desperate and disturbing, there seems to be little sympathy on social media for those who found themselves stranded on the island, which has been likened to a refugee camp by some.
Me at home watching rich people get scammed to see what it feels like to be a refugee and live in subhuman conditions at the #FyreFestival pic.twitter.com/wAnQ5khU6U
— Ree (@queenreeeee) April 28, 2017
Rich guy on Twitter: your health/safety is not our responsibility
Rich guy at #FyreFestival: HELLO POLICE MY SANDWICH IS BAD SEND EVERYONE
— Dan Sheehan (@ItsDanSheehan) April 28, 2017
If you told me yesterday that Ja Rule would start a prison camp for Instagram kids in the Bahamas, I woulda called you mad. #fyrefestival
— Donovan (@shinynewbuttons) April 28, 2017
LMAOOOOOO JA-RULE SCAMMED RICH WHITES KID AND DONATED THE MONEY TO CHARITIES #fyrefestival pic.twitter.com/HvdAn9uclb
— (@zyerahh) April 28, 2017
#FyreFestival is an art installation where mediocre people realize what their lives would be like without rich parents.
— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) April 28, 2017
I can’t figure out what #fyrefestival is, but it seems like rich people having a bad time, which I fully support
— Ethan (@Paradawg) April 28, 2017
With no word from organizers, the situation is no doubt terrifying for stranded attendees. Hopefully those who are stuck on the island will make it safely back home with nothing more than a bruised ego but if you’re having a bad day, just browse the #fyrefestival hashtag on Twitter for a good laugh.
