VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — The initial 2020 Something in the Water map is out and shows three stages this year on the beach, multiple ride share lots and entrances to the “venue.”
The map was explained Thursday evening at Something in the Water’s 2020 community forum. Held to give community and business owners more information about various aspects of the festival, this year roughly 200 people sat through the hour and a half presentation at the convention center.
That amount is far less than attendance at the forum in 2019, per Virginia Beach City Spokesperson Julie Hill. Hill believes that is because first year concerns were laid to rest.
Unlike last year where there was one main stage and a smaller stage used Sunday exclusively for the Pop Up Church, this year three stages will be used in tandem.
They’ll be named Poseidon and Neptune for the Greek and Roman names for the god of the sea and Atlantis for the fictional underwater city.
“The festival footprint is definitely larger this year,” said Brian Solis, Assistant to the City Manager in Virginia Beach. “It’s just more streamlined … 5th Street all the way to 18th Street will be music.”
The festival runs the entire week from April 20 to the 26, with the main musical performances from Friday to Sunday. Entertainers like Virginia Beach natives Clipse (brothers Gene “No Malice” Thornton and Terrence “Pusha T” Thornton), Petersburg’s Trey Songz, and Virginia Beach’s own superstar Pharrell Williams are set to hit the stage through the weekend.
This year will also feature free events the week leading up to the weekend performances, with celebrities such as Taraji P. Henson, Tony Hawk and Neil deGrasse Tyson slated to speak.
On Tuesday, Pharrell Williams’ production company announced that 20 additional personalities and conference speakers will also be added to the 2020 festival this week.
Those unable to join in person can watch by livestream at VBgov.com or Facebook.com/CityofVaBeach