The buzz around Virginia Beach native Pharrell's iconic Something in the Water (SITW) festival just got a little quieter—and not in a good way. During Tuesday’s City Council work session, Mayor Bobby Dyer made a proposal: the festival might be in breach of contract. Why? No lineup. No ticket sales. No updates. Nothing.
“Our backs are to the wall,” Mayor Dyer said, clearly frustrated. “It’s not a lack of effort on our part.”
The city was a bit lenient earlier this month, understanding the team was dealing with the chaos of the Los Angeles wildfires. City Councilor Amelia Ross-Hammond, the festival’s liaison, had been pushing for weekly meetings between the City Manager and SITW organizers to keep things on track. But according to Mayor Dyer, this week’s update was a repeat of last week’s: no progress.
The proposal gives SITW five days to fix the breach after receiving a formal notice. If they can’t, the city will pull the plug, demand its money back, and look for other ways to fill April 26-27, 2025.
Here’s where things stand: the city is required to give SITW formal notice of the breach, allowing them five days to address the issues. If not, the sponsorship agreement is off the table, the city will demand its money back, and they’ll start exploring alternative events for April 26-27, 2025.
It’s disappointing to see this hiccup for a festival that’s become such a cornerstone for the 757. SITW has brought big names, big crowds, and big energy to the area. But without movement soon, the city may have no choice but to move on.