VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Beach City Council met on Tuesday, January 14, and included in their discussions was an update on the status of the “Something in the Water” music festival and its commitment to the city.
However, it wasn't much of an update.
Amanda Jarratt, Deputy City Manager for the City of Virginia Beach explained that some of the people involved in planning the massive festival have been directly impacted by the wildfires in California. Jarratt promised a "more robust" update next Tuesday.
Plans for the festival have been a point of contention since for a while. Festival organizers missed a Dec. 31 deadline to drop a lineup and start ticket sales. The deadline was a stipulation in a contract between the city of Virginia Beach and Something in the Water.
Watch previous coverage: SITW gets more time for lineup, ticket sales after council vote
After the deadline was missed, City Council voted last week to give festival organizers more time. They’re also requiring weekly check-ins — and Tuesday's was the first since then.
Councilmember Michael Berlucchi asked Jarratt when they will find out a date for a lineup release. Jarratt implied she hopes to have that answer at the next update.
Mayor Bobby Dyer talked about how he hears from local businesses that want this to work. He stated, “If we really take a look at things, we give grace to a lot of people." He added, “To me, it is worth the effort we are taking.”
Earlier on Tuesday, News 3 reporter Angela Bohon talked with some Oceanfront businesses. The general manager of the Moxy Hotel loves the idea of festivals coming in the “shoulder season.”
"You know, on those off-seasons, many of us are just trying to keep the lights on and stuff like ‘Something in the Water’ and ‘Point Break’ and what that means is critical for us," said Matthew Korgsund, Moxy Hotel's general manager.
Watch previous coverage: Virginia Beach, Oceanfront businesses hope to hear timely updates on SITW going forward
News 3 has been extensively covering the issue, especially due to its major economic impact in the city. Additionally, the festival has been a highly-anticipated event since Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams launched the inaugural SITW back in 2019.
