Something In The Water Festival Relocates To DC For Juneteenth Weekend

WASHINGTON, DC — Something in the Water music festival is traveling up I-95 from Virginia Beach and to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. for the three-day Juneteenth weekend.

"We know we're going to have ... excitement for three days in Washington, D.C. on Independence Avenue on Juneteenth weekend," Mayor Muriel Bowser said during a press conference at Ballou High School.

Bowser was joined by members of the school's marching band and Pharrell Williams, who is bringing the Something in the Water music festival to D.C. The rapper and recording artist organized the first festival in 2019 in his home town of Virginia Beach.

"As you all know, we had it down in Virginia Beach," he told the audience at Ballou High School. "It was successful. It brought the community together. It was a beautiful thing for people to see, all kinds of cultures come together. At a certain point, we just said to ourselves, 'We want to do it again, but we want to be welcomed with it, you know?'"

Williams added that many communities in the DMV expressed an interest in hosting the 2022 festival, but he wanted to bring it to a place and a time that would uplift the festival's mission.

"The significant place was Independence Avenue and the significant time was during the Juneteenth weekend, where all kinds of human beings, regardless to your color, your creed, a sexual orientation or not, if you have a heart in your chest, a brain in your head and blood in your body, you are welcome to Something in the Water," he said.

On March 26, 2021, Solomon Simmons, a Virginia Beach Police officer, shot and killed Williams' cousin Donovan Lynch. Following a lengthy investigation, a grand jury decided the officer would not be criminally charged in the case. Last month, Lynch's family filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against Simmons and the City of Virginia Beach, according to 13News Now.

When asked if his cousin's death was a factor in relocating the festival, Williams said there were some events that were "pretty painful" in Virginia Beach, but he chose to rise above it.

"So many people had so much fun that we just decided to take it up a notch," he said. "Let's just find the highest ground possible in symbolism and in poetry, and that ended up being our nation's capital."

Bowser said it was important to show people that the District was open for business and ready to welcome back visitors. While no city funds would be expended on the festival, the city would do what it could to support the event.

"I promised D.C. residents that we have to get people back downtown," she said. "We have to get people in our restaurants. We have to get people to fill our hotels rooms."

The following artists will be performing on three stags on the National Mall on Juneteenth weekend: 6lack, Adekunle Gold, Ashanti & Ja Rule, Ashe, Baby Tate, Backyard Band, Baird, Bia, Blxst, Calvin Harris, Chloe X Halle, Dave Matthews Band, Davido, Denzel Curry, DJ Doom, Dominic Fike, Dreamer Isioma, Duckwrth, Earthgang, Emotional Oranges, Ericdoa, Gracie Abrams, Hope Tala, Jan Dawson, Jeremy Zucker, JID, Jon Batiste, Lakeyah, Lil Baby, Lil Uzi Vert, Lucky Daye, Maria Isabel, Mariah the Scientist, Moneybagg Yo, Montell Fish, OGI, Omar Apollo, Ozuna, Paris Texas, Pusha T, Q, Quinn XCII, Rae Sremmurd, Rare Essence, Raveena, Rei Ami, Roddy Ricch, Role Model, Run The Jewels, Saba, Sabrina Claudio, Skepta, Skiifall, Skillibeng, Slowthai, Snoh Aalegra, Sound of the City, Syd, Teyana Taylor, Thundercat, Ti, Tierra Whack, Tobe Nwigwe, Tokischa, Tyler The Creator, Usher, and Yvngxchris.

Pharrell & Phriends will also be performing along with some artists that he said couldn't be announced yet.

Three-day general admission passes will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday on the festival's website. The passes are available at five pricing tiers, from $349.50 to $549.50 each. Shuttle tickets would be $50 (one-way) and $95 (round trip) plus fees.

"Virginia Locals Only" presale passes will be on sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday. These passes will be restrict to Virginia ZIP codes. Virginia residents will be able to purchase the passes in-person at the United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach box office. Passes will only be available while supplies last.