VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer gave an ultimatum to Something in the Water festival organizers: have a contract signed by the end of the week or he will recommend that the city move on.
The strong words came after the festival organizers missed a deadline to have a contract signed with the city for new three or five-year agreement, and on the heels of the festival canceling their 2024 event only a month ahead of time.
Something in the Water, the festival created by Virginia Beach native, music producer and fashion designer Pharrell Williams, received critical acclaim when it launched in 2019, but by 2024 many of those attitudes turned to disappointment.
The multi-day music festival located at the Oceanfront was postponed from October of 2024 to April of 2025, just a few hours after tickets went on sale.
Dyer said he and other council members are angry at what they call poor planning. They said there is a perception that they are being walked all over by festival organizers. Dyer set a Friday deadline to get a deal done with the city.
The normally affable Mayor Dyer turned visibly red as the conversation on this subject started Tuesday.
“If they do not have this signed, sealed and delivered by close of business on Friday, on Tuesday I will be making a recommendation that we pull the plug and go in a different direction,” Dyer said.
This comes about a month after Virginia Beach city leaders unanimously put conditions on festival organizers. They established that they were supposed to have a contract settled and signed by November 1. That deadline has come and gone.
Since Williams’ music festival started a few years ago, it was held in April. Bad weather caused delays and cancelations for parts of the show in both 2019 and 2023.
Earlier this year, it was confirmed that SITW 2024 would take place Oct. 12-13. Tickets went on sale weeks beforehand with no lineup announced. Despite this, lines wrapped around the box office as hoards of loyal fans snagged their tickets for the festival. Hours later, the festival was postponed to April 2025. Williams said they were just not ready yet.
Refunds went out to those who bought tickets, but city leaders were quick to point out the economic hit to hotels and other local businesses.
The conditions imposed on the festival by the city include keeping city leaders on the pulse of festival planning, having a lineup announced and ticket sales before the end of the year, along with termination rights for the city if terms are not met.
City leaders wanted a plan for next year in place by the beginning of November.
Stick with us throughout the day on WAVY News 10 as we closely follow what is revealed later today.