Remember Fyre Festival? It tried to make a comeback. In this Convene Talk, the team breaks down the short, doomed saga of “Fyre Festival 2”—from phantom venues to a surprise eBay fire-sale—and what it reveals about influencer hype, ethics, and the critical role of professional event planning. We contrast Fyre’s spin with Burning Man’s radical transparency, revisit the Andy King debate, and explore how AI deepfakes are fueling a new wave of fake events.

Links:

· Is Fyre Festival 2 happening? Mexican officials and hotels not so sure: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/2025/03/05/fyre-festival-2-mexico-music-festival-concerns/80859287007/

· Fyre Festival 2 is still on, Billy McFarland says. How he plans to lock down lodging and musical artists.: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/fyre-festival-2-is-still-on-billy-mcfarland-says-how-he-plans-to-lock-down-lodging-and-musical-artists-220007175.html?guccounter=1

· Fyre Festival 2's fate up in the air after event says it won't take place at Mexican resort: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fate-fyre-festival-2-air-website-announces-postponement-rcna198093

· Billy McFarland sells Fyre Festival brand on eBay for $245K. See what the buyer will get.: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/2025/07/16/fyre-festival-billy-mcfarland-ebay-auction/85240563007/

· Own FYRE Festival (eBay listing): https://www.ebay.com/itm/357251347049

· Pass the Popcorn: Planners Watch the Fyre Festival Documentaries: https://www.pcma.org/fyre-festival-documentaries-event-planners-react/

· Trainwreck Storm Area 51 (Netflix): https://www.netflix.com/bg/title/81751986

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Meet the Convene Editors: https://www.pcma.org/contact/

· Michelle Russell, Editor in Chief

· Barbara Palmer, Deputy Editor

· Jennifer N. Dienst, Senior Editor

· Kate Mulcrone, Managing Digital Editor

· Magdalina Atanassova, Digital Media Editor

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Music: Inspirational Cinematic Piano with Orchestra