The troubled history of Pharrell’s Something in the Water Festival

Pharrell Williams’ Something in the Water festival quickly became a Virginia Beach staple in 2019. But the music festival hasn’t had the smoothest history—including when the event unexpectedly canceled this year, the day tickets were supposed to go on sale.

The first Something in the Water Festival took place the weekend of April 26, 2019, and as a local, I recall the massive hype around this event. I couldn’t think of a single music festival of that caliber coming to Virginia Beach before. I was still in high school at the time, and it seemed to be the only thing my classmates could talk about. 

News outlets followed the event closely and added to the excitement for the event. 

People were especially pumped once the event’s lineup went live. Of course, area native Pharrell Williams himself would perform, but powerhouses like Travis Scott, Migos, Missy Elliott, SZA, and more would take the stage—all over one weekend. 

However, on the first day of the festival, thunderstorms canceled Friday’s performances, and so the festival’s troubles began.

Something in the Water 2020

Pharrell’s festival was meant to take place for the second time in April 2020.

But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was canceled.

The festival’s organizers vowed to be back on the Oceanfront in April 2021, but that’s not exactly how things went. 

DC’s Something in the Water 2022

In March of 2021, Williams’ cousin, Donovon Lynch, was shot and killed by a law enforcement officer who worked for the Virginia Beach Police Department. Lynch was 25 years old.

Williams’ family mourned the devastating loss, and Lynch’s family filed a court case against the city of Virginia Beach.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic still ran rampant around the country; SITW 2021 was not in the cards.

It became apparent that the festival would have to return in 2022, but not in Virginia Beach. With the death of his cousin, Williams alleged that Virginia Beach was run by “toxic energy” and moved the festival to Washington D.C. that year. 

Many questioned whether the festival would be the same without its Virginia Beach venue, and others worried if it would ever return to the Oceanfront. 

Something in the Water returns 2023

In November 2022, Williams announced that his music festival would return to its original venue the following year.

At the time, Williams’ family worked toward a settlement with the city after his cousin’s death. The decision was made to bring the festival back to the singer’s hometown area.

The 2023 festival would be a homecoming of sorts, and the lineup consisted of talents like Lil Wayne, Lil Uzi Vert, Kid Cudi, and many more.

Unfortunately for festival goers, this festival would be one of the worst, weather-wise. 

The three-day festival suffered numerous weather cancellations. Programming on the first day experienced a five-hour delay due to rain. The festival’s last day got canceled altogether.

It became increasingly clear that Virginia’s weather was too unpredictable in April to hold an outdoor festival.

In December of 2023, Williams announced that the next festival would take place in October of 2024. 

September 2024

On September 12, 2024, an announcement came that locals could buy tickets to the October festival at a discounted rate. 

Only available at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater on September 13, folks in the area could purchase the special tickets from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Virginia Beach locals complained about the lack of notice, not to mention that the festival’s lineup wasn’t even announced yet.

But despite the complaints, hundreds of locals lined up outside of the amphitheater starting in the early morning hours of September 13.

Unfortunately, the festival’s bad luck didn’t stop there. While hundreds of Virginians waited in line for tickets, Williams announced that the festival “just isn’t ready yet”, and canceled the event at 4:22 p.m.

Something in the Water was officially canceled for 2024, and an announcement came that it would instead take place in April 2025.

Needless to say, those in line at the amphitheater weren’t too happy. For customers who paid with a card, their tickets were automatically refunded, but those who paid with cash had to return to the amphitheater to get their money back. 

The future of Something in the Water

With so many issues and roadblocks surrounding the festival, one might wonder about its sustainability.

Many Virginia Beach businesses not only prepared for the event in October, but also relied on the business during the city’s off-season.

The City of Virginia Beach was “blindsided” by Williams’ cancelation in September. Mayor Bobby Dyer said the City of Virginia Beach was given a “black eye”, as Virginia Beach gives Something in the Water funding and donations to help orchestrate the event. 

Recently, Virginia Beach’s City Council approved conditions for the event that would withhold financial support to avoid another blindside. 

With this new contract, the city has more power over planning, and the city will be protected from any unforeseen circumstances—like uncommunicated cancelation.