26-02-2025
Something in the Water's request to reinstate festival denied
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Something in the Water Festival organizers reportedly reached back out to Virginia Beach City Council to request a reinstatement of the annual festival, which was scheduled in April after the original October date was postponed.
Despite the plea, Mayor Bobby Dyer said the city is holding firm to its decision to cancel the festival, opting to explore other options for entertainment, including through Beach Events.
Previous Coverage: Virginia Beach City cancels Something in the Water
Previously unregulated, the annual festival — put on by Virginia Beach-native Pharrell Williams — led to mass confusion, frustration and financial loss after ticket buyers waited in line in September 2024 for the event, originally scheduled in October. Despite no lineup being released, people waited in line — only to be abruptly told that the festival was postponed.
Virginia Beach mayor says city 'moving on' from Something in the Water, for now
The public and the city were caught off guard at both the cancelation and the decision to hold the event in April. A decision made without any input from city officials.
The fiasco prompted the city to require more oversight and provide deadlines for information to be released.
A back and forth struggle ensued between organizers and the city as their attempt to regulate the event and ensure a smooth process for attendees was met with unanswered questions, deadlines coming and going, and ultimately resulting in the cancelation of an annual event.
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