Bella Hadid-backed music festival canceled

Bella Hadid

MIAMI: A new music festival in The Bahamas that was billed as the ultimate in luxury on Friday imploded just as it was to begin, leaving party-goers stranded and angry.
With packages that went up to $12,000, the Fyre Music Festival on a private island had promoted itself on Instagram with images of models lounging on the beach and promises of two weekends of extravagance.
The homepage for the festival, co-organized by rapper Ja Rule, featured a host of top models including Emily Ratajkowski, Bella Hadid, Alessandra Ambrosio, Hailey Baldwin and Joan Smalls relaxing on the beach.
Late last year, a group of super models, including Hadid, flew to the Bahamas together on a private jet for a mysterious working vacation. Later, it was revealed they were promoting the Fyre Festival.
But festival-goers, ready to post their lavish times on social media, arrived to take pictures of utilitarian white tents on the beach and plain cheese sandwiches.
The festival, which had been due to take place over two weekends, abruptly announced in an online statement Friday that it was being “postponed.”
“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,” it said.
The festival said it would offer charter flights back to Miami to festival-goers, whose package included transportation.
But festival-goers shared pictures on social media of large crowds stuck at an airport, saying they lacked food and water as they waited for return flights.
“A guy just passed out in the airport because it’s so hot since they locked us in,” wrote Twitter user William N. Finley IV, who returned to Miami on Friday.
It was a far cry from how the festival was promoted.
A press release in December promised a “once-in-a-lifetime experience featuring two weekends of music, culture, art and food.”
“Think the hottest artists, the most beautiful water in the world, yachts, jet skis, and more than $1 million of real treasure and jewels hidden on the island,” it said.