Fyre Festival Documentaries Highlight How the Disastrous Event Hurt Local Workers

Remember the Fyre Festival disaster that unfolded, in real time, on social media in April 2017? The “luxury” event gone awry has resurfaced in the news recently, thanks to two separate documentaries (one on Netflix, the other on Hulu). While reliving the chaos all over again, many people are focusing their attention on one woman in particular: restaurant owner Maryann Rolle, who some are calling the “hero” of the entire story.

To quickly recap, Fyre Festival was promoted on social media as a "cultural moment created from a blend of music, art, and food." It promised would-be festival goers an event to remember on an island in the Bahamas, complete with luxe geodesic dome housing, beachside views, and a concert that initially included Blink-182, Major Lazer, Daya, and more artists. As everyone with an internet connection can remember, what actually transpired was far from the promised Instagrammable event. The festival was ultimately canceled, organizers were hit with lawsuits, and in October 2018, Fyre Festival organizer Billy McFarland was sentenced to six years in prison for multiple counts of fraud.

The recent documentaries take viewers through the before, during, and after of the Fyre Fest disaster, but the films also shed light on how the failed festival affected the many locals who were never paid for their labor. One of those locals was Maryann Rolle, who owns Exuma Point Bar and Grill with her husband Elvis. According to Bahamian newspaper Tribune 242, Maryann and Elvis were reportedly hired by Fyre organizers for “catering support and lodging” during the event. At the time of publication in May 2017, the Rolles claimed they were still owed $136,000.

In the Netflix documentary Fyre, Maryann is shown managing hundreds of guests who were redirected to the Exuma Point Bar and Grill upon landing in the Bahamas. The restaurant owner also described the scene to Tribune 242: “I was able to get the breakfast out to them…. [The guests] were quite happy, they danced, they drank until the sun set, and when the sun set and they had to get into that bus and leave to go to the festival site, that’s when it becomes sour. During the day they were happy here as long as I kept cooking, breakfast turned into lunch and the girls just cooked and cooked and cooked. We had a lot of food, it’s just that we weren’t prepared because I would have had a couple grills out on the beach.”

Towards the end of the movie, Maryann reveals that she spent $50,000 of her own savings during the entire process. Her story clearly has resonated with viewers, as many have since posted on social media to show their support. “Maryann Rolle was the hero of the story,” one person wrote, while another tweeted: “Heartbreaking. She asked for none of this and was just doing her best for her island.”

Fortunately, if you were moved by Maryann’s story; there is a way to help. As noted by Gabrielle Bluestone, Executive Producer of the Netflix documentary, the Rolles have set up a GoFundMe to recuperate the funds lost and owed during Fyre Festival. (Teen Vogue reached out to GoFundMe who confirmed that the campaign page has been verified.)

“As I make this plea it’s hard to believe and embarrassing to admit that I was not paid,” the Rolles’ page reads. “I was left in a big hole. My life was changed forever, and my credit was ruined by Fyre Fest. My only resource today is to appeal for help.”

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Want more from Teen Vogue? Check this out: The Guy Behind the Failed Fyre Festival Has Been Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison