Billy McFarland and the Fyre Festival 2 team are sticking by the location for the event … claiming they’ve been working closely with Playa Del Carmen to ensure the festival happens — despite the government’s claims to the contrary.

Here’s the deal … earlier this week, officials for Playa Del Carmen — a small town just south of Cancún in Mexico — wrote a message in Spanish, part of which translates to “There is no existence of a registry nor plans that would indicate such an event taking place in this municipality.”

They also add, “… No such event with that name will take place in our city” — indicating they haven’t even heard of the event before.

We spoke with Billy back in February who assured us the event would be massive, and he was committed to making sure this sequel to the trainwreck OG Fyre Festival would go much smoother.

The artist of the Donald Trump‘s portrait in the Colorado Capitol Building is firing back at the president’s claims she distorted his image for political reasons … insisting she didn’t do that, and adding his comments have hurt her career.

Sarah A. Boardman — the artist who painted the controversial portrait of the Commander-In-Chief — finally released a statement Saturday firing back at President Trump after he claimed she “must have lost her talent as she got older.”

Boardman says the Colorado State Capitol Advisory Committee, Denver commissioned her to paint the portrait … and the committee signed off on all progress photos she provided along the way as well as the final product itself.

In fact, Boardman says the portrait — which hung for six years in the Capitol’s rotunda — received many positive review from people who saw it until President Trump blasted it on Truth Social.

Sarah claims no political bias factored into her painting … and, she in no way attempted to caricature the prez.

She adds, “President Trump is entitled to comment freely, as we all are, but the additional allegations that I purposefully distorted’ the portrait, and that I ‘must have lost my talent as I got older’ are now directly and negatively impacting my business of over 41 years which now is in danger of not recovering.”

President Trump said he’d rather have no portrait than have Boardman’s continue to hang in the rotunda … and, officials in Colorado ultimately took it down last month amid the controversy.

Russell Brand‘s not letting his legal troubles derail his pre-planned family vacation … hitting the beach with his wife and two children just one day after he was charged with rape and sexual assault in the United Kingdom.

The actor hit up a beach in Miami with his fam Saturday … splashing around in the waves while his wife Laura held their son who was born back in 2023.

The trio — joined by their older daughter too — splashed around in the water … and RB dunked his head, wetting down his long locks.

The Brands look like any happy-go-lucky family on vacay … but, they’re dealing with a whole lot of drama.

As you know … Brand was charged with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape and 2 counts of sexual assault Friday for a series of alleged incidents that are said to have occurred between 1999 and 2005.

Brand has vehemently denied the allegations against him … admitting to drug and sex addiction, but insisting he’s never engaged in nonconsensual sexual activity with anyone.

We obtained pictures of Brand outside Florida’s Gasparilla Inn Friday shortly after the charged were announced … strolling with his family. An eyewitness told us he’s renting a beachfront villa from the high-end resort in Boca Grande.