Fyre Festival 2 coming to Mexico, despite infamy

Fyre Festival, a fraudulent luxury music festival that scammed thousands on a so-called private island in 2017, is making its return. The “Today” show revealed that Fyre Festival 2 will take place May 30-June 2 in Isla Mujeres, Mexico. Billy McFarland partnered with rapper Ja Rule to create what Ja Rule called “the cultural experience of the decade.” Hulu and Netflix produced separate documentaries about the original festival and the chaos that ensued. The festival had no concert, inadequate space, and “VIP villas” that were actually FEMA tents from Hurricane Matthew. McFarland served four years in prison for fraud related to the festival. Eight years after the disaster, McFarland told “Today,” “My dream is finally becoming a reality.” There are 2,000 tickets available, ranging in price from $1,400 to $1.1 million. So far, there is no official lineup of performers.

Tribune News Services

Tripadvisor has unveiled its Travelers' Choice Awards: Best of the Best Beaches of 2025. The best beach in the world this year, according to users who’ve visited, is Elafonissi Beach in Crete, Greece. The beautiful and remote beach offers warm pink sand and clear blue water. While it gets crowded in the summer months, May and September offer greater opportunities to enjoy the beach without the crowds. In the United States, Siesta Beach in Siesta Key, Fla. (near Sarasota) reigns supreme, taking first this year for its white quartz sand, shallow waters and large, family-centric vibe.

TravelPulse

Families traveling to Montreal during spring break will find two different seasons, depending on whether it’s March or April. Those who arrive earlier might fill up on a traditional Quebec maple-syrup-laden brunch at an urban “sugar shack” before ice skating at one of the city’s many neighborhood rinks. When temperatures rise, the Place des Festivals hosts free and paid outdoor concerts. And the open air Jean-Talon Market in Little Italy offers maple products and fun browsing year-round. Mount Royal Park is a must-visit for family snowshoeing or hiking and biking. Adults can enjoy a steam bath and water circuit at Bota Bota Nordic spa, which periodically offers “pirate” packages and breathing workshops for kids ages 12 to 17. For younger children, La Lune babysitters will come to hotels and rented apartments.

New York Times

Turns out that whale scene in Will Ferrell’s hilarious 2020 movie, “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga,” may not have been so overblown, after all. The little town of Husavik is considered not only the whale-watching capital of Iceland, Lonely Planet calls it likely “the best whale-watching hub in all of Europe.” Lonely Planet recently ranked the planet’s top whale-watching destinations. Here’s a peek at the top 10: Husavik, Iceland; Antarctica; French Polynesia; Churchill, Manitoba; Nuuk, Greenland; Tasmania; Kauai; Madeira; Newfoundland; and Baja California Sur, Mexico.

The Mercury News