Sophia Michaels
After setting up shop in Washington, D.C., this year, Pharrell Williams’ Something in the Water Festival has announced it will return to its roots and bring the fest back to the producer’s hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 2023.
The inaugural Something in the Water took place in Virginia Beach in 2019. After the pandemic postponed the fest for two years, it resurfaced in the Nation’s Capital in 2022 due to a feud between Williams and Virginia Beach officials.
However, cooler heads have apparently prevailed as the festival will come back to its initial stomping grounds on April 28-30, 2023, dates that coincide with the coastal city’s College Beach Weekend. (The 2022 fest — which features a rare Clipse reunion along with sets by 21 Savage, Lil Baby, Pharrell & Phriends, and more — revolved around the Juneteeth weekend.)
“The demand for the festival in Virginia Beach and The 757 — among the people — has never wavered. If anything, it has only intensified,” Williams said in a statement.
“College Beach Weekend continues every year, and the city of Virginia Beach leaders have been eager to reconcile and move forward. The environment is finally optimized for return, and the announcement will delight everyone — from HBCU students across the eastern USA to the hundreds of small businesses who will play a role in the festival to the cities within the region and neighborhoods that will serve as hosts. I need to come back home. There is a pervasive feeling by almost everyone that the festival belongs in Virginia Beach, and the time is right to bring it back.”
Mayor Bobby Dyer added, “It is exciting to be so close to the return of Something in the Water in Virginia Beach. We sincerely appreciate Mr. Williams and his willingness to bring this marquee event back home!”
While participating artists have not yet been announced, a Virginia residents-only presale for tickets to the 2023 festival will begin Saturday, Nov. 5; check the fest’s website for more details.
