WASHINGTON - The Something in the Water music festival is moving to Washington, D.C., after making its debut in Virginia Beach in 2019.
Event organizer Pharrell Williams, who grew up in Virginia Beach, posted on Twitter a video teasing to the festival taking place this year.
2022 @sitw pic.twitter.com/q6liTKeDYP
— Pharrell Williams (@Pharrell) April 25, 2022
Musician Pusha T, friend of Williams and also a Virginia Beach native, announced on Showtime's "Desus and Mero" earlier this month that the festival will move to the nation's capital.
Williams made the formal announcement Tuesday afternoon along with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D). The festival will take place on June 17-19, commemorating Juneteenth.
Something in the Water returns on Juneteenth weekend in DC! 🌊🌤
— SOMETHING IN THE WATER (@sitw) April 26, 2022
Mark your calendars and set your alarms— passes go on sale this Saturday, April 30 at 10 AM ET. #SITWfest pic.twitter.com/3AwOQ4rJa0
"Regardless to your color, your creed or sexual orientation or not; if you have a heart in your chest, a brain in your head and blood in your body, you are welcomed to Something in the Water," Williams said.
Mayor Bowser said the three-day music festival is meant to bring energy back to downtown.
“We have to get people back downtown,” said Bowser. “We have to get people in our restaurants. We have to get people to fill our hotel rooms. So, the city is going to be supportive.”
According to a news release from Live Nation, artists such as 6LACK, Adekunle Gold, Ashanti & Ja Rule, Ashe, Baby Tate, Baird, BIA, Blxst, Calvin Harris, Chloe x Halle and more are set to perform with more artists to be announced soon.
It was confirmed in Oct. 2021 that the festival would not return to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront this year.
In a letter sent to Virginia Beach City Manager Patrick Duhaney, Williams states that the city has been run by "toxic energy" for far too long. Williams' letter was in response to Duhaney's letter that expressed his disappointment of learning that SITW 2022 may not happen.
In response, Williams wrote how he wishes Virginia Beach leaders had the same energy when his relative, Donovon Lynch, was fatally shot by a Virginia Beach officer on March 26, as they do for losing the festival.
Tuesday, Williams stayed positive.
“It was pretty painful, but you know what? You got to rise above it,” he said.
Despite moving to D.C., SITW still wants Hampton Roads residents to attend. This year the festival is offering a bus service from Virginia Beach to D.C. A one-way bus ride is priced at $50, and a round way ticket is $95.
Passes to this year's festival goes on sale on April 30 at 10 a.m.
Virginia residents will have special access to a “Virginia Locals Only” presale taking place on Friday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
Related: What does not having Something in the Water Festival mean for the resort city?
