Something in the Water postponed to April 2025, Pharrell Williams announces

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Pharrell Williams announced that the Something in the Water music festival in Virginia Beach has been postponed to April 2025.

The city, however, in a statement, did not offer a specific date for a rescheduled event, but said it would have to determine what happens next and figure out what will happen with the festival.

The Something in the Water team has informed the City this afternoon that the festival will not take place in 2024,” the city said in a statement. “As far as next steps go, City Council will need to review staff guidance and feedback to determine next steps and consider future plans.”

Williams made the shocking announcement on Friday afternoon on social media, the same day that hundreds of Virginia residents waited in line for special presale tickets.

“Dearest Virginia, you deserve THE BEST. I promise it will be worth the wait. See you in April. All my love – P,” Williams wrote.

Williams said any passes purchased on Friday by credit or debit card will be automatically refunded. Those who bought passes with cash can be refunded at the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater in Virginia Beach.

Meanwhile the city of Virginia Beach released this statement in reaction to the news: ““The Something in the Water team has informed the City this afternoon that the festival will not take place in 2024. As far as next steps go, City Council will need to review staff guidance and feedback to determine next steps and consider future plans.”

The news was not received well by ticket purchasers and potential festivalgoers on social media, some of whom had already booked hotel rooms for the weekend.

“To do this the same day you finally sell tickets, you’re tarnishing the brand you built smh,” wrote one user on X.

“I can’t believe y’all let those people wait in that line today” wrote another.

“I feel like bro only remembers this festival like a month before it’s supposed to happen,” said one Instagram user on SITW’s post, which received hundreds of comments in just a few minutes after the announcement.

This all comes after several delays in the rollout of the festival. Organizers waited until Thursday to announce the presale for Virginia residents, less than a month before the festival was expected to happen on Oct. 12-13.

10 On Your Side spoke with one fan who purchased his pass on Friday, after Pharrell made the announcement.

“I was a little shocked honestly,” Alfonso Evans said, “So those were $450 each. I bought one for me and my wife so $900.”

Virginia Beach Oceanfront businesses were also shocked by the news.

“Definitely affects our schedule a little bit as we were anticipating some more business from it obviously can only control so much,” Parkerson Hague, general manager of Ocean Eddie’s said.

This year’s festival was supposed to be a two-day event, that many believed would be a huge business boom for the Virginia Beach Oceanfront

“It’ll definitely leave a chunk open in October but there are plenty of other things to do in October so were looking forward to all that stuff too,” Hague said.

April is the original slot for the festival. In 2019 and 2023, it was held on the last weekend of April on the former “College Beach Weekend.” Williams moved the event to October this year after concerns over inclement weather in previous years.

A city public information officer said there was money allocated for Something in the Water, but it had not been given to them yet. It was in the fiscal year 2024 budget.

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