Since its founding in 2019, Something in the Water (SITW) has become a highly anticipated music festival for many Princess Anne High School students and staff, as well as a defining event for Virginia Beach. Created by PAHS alumnus Pharrell Williams, the three-day festival has featured artists such as A$AP Rocky, Summer Walker, and The Kid LAROI. However, Virginia Beach officials recently announced the cancellation of the festival for 2025.
City officials gave the festival organizers a five day period to meet scheduled requirements last Tuesday but failed to do so, according to 13News Now. This prompted the city to officially terminate the festival.
After its successful debut in 2019, SITW was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, Williams moved the festival to Washington, D.C., citing concerns about Virginia Beach’s city leadership. However, the festival returned to Virginia Beach in April 2023, but it suffered delays and performance cancellations due to tornado and lightning threats.
In 2024, the festival dates were originally set for April, but organizers decided to postpone the event to October 2024 to avoid bad weather. But on the same day tickets went on sale in September, the festival was unexpectedly rescheduled again for April 2025. At the time, Williams explained on his social media: “Virginia deserves the best. So, Something in the Water has to match that. It just isn’t ready yet.”
However, after multiple attempts from the city to hold the festival team to deadlines and a contract, there is no set return for the festival on the horizon. For Princess Anne’s students and staff, SITW’s cancellation has sparked a mix of disappointment, frustration, and confusion for those who had been looking forward to attending the festival.
Junior John Manugo went to a previous SITW festival and shared he was excited to go again. “It is one of the only concerts I could rely on to be in Virginia Beach,” he explained.
Similarly, seniors Hana Msalek and Janine Laguerta were planning on attending SITW 2025 together. Msalek said the weather issues of previous festivals only heightened her excitement for the next one. However, she felt the September 2025 ticket sales were rushed and wasn’t shocked by the cancellation. “Since the initial purpose of the festival was to uplift and promote the Virginia Beach community, I feel like Pharrell should have put in more effort to keep this festival alive,” she said.
Laguerta expressed that she was upset and heartbroken upon hearing about the cancellation, and she shared that she had one of the “best times of her life” in 2023. “I admire Pharrell’s music and production, and I was hoping to see some of the same artists this year.”
Amanda Augustine, a psychology teacher at PA, was also disappointed. As a longtime Pharrell Williams fan, she explains she had bought tickets for her husband, sister, and fellow PA teacher Angela Cosimano. Despite her frustration, she remains supportive of the artist. “I’m frustrated and deeply sad, but I’m not mad at Pharrell.”
City officials have stated they will explore alternative plans for the weekend of April 26-27, but left the door open for future collaborations with SITW organizers, according to Fox 5 DC.
