SITW Day 3: Sunday events canceled due to severe weather

Posted: Apr 30, 2023 / 08:42 AM EDT

Updated: May 1, 2023 / 06:37 AM EDT

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – The City of Virginia Beach announced The Something in the Water main festival has been canceled for Sunday.

Around 6 p.m. the City of Virginia Beach sent out a tweet saying they made the decision to cancel the festival because of severe weather.

Pharrell tweeted out that the dates for Something in the Water 2024 will be shifted due to this year’s day three cancellation. In 2019 Something in the Water day one was also canceled due to rain.

Following several calls & meetings today with the National Weather Service, festival organizers & in consultation with our emergency management leadership, the City has made the decision to cancel evening festival activity on Sunday, April 30: https://t.co/1KPO9QyTFr+
— Virginia Beach (@CityofVaBeach) April 30, 2023

Something In The Water is giving a 33% refund for Sunday’s cancellation.

Dearest Virginia,
We are the best.
These past few days @sitw #sitwfest have been the best.
Even during this Tornado Watch and Lightning Storm right now as I type, we are the best.
Thank you for giving the folks that travel here that energy and that LOVE that only we can give.… pic.twitter.com/pTGwbUY562
— Pharrell Williams (@Pharrell) April 30, 2023

10 On Your Side noticed by early afternoon, Something in the Water had removed the Sunday schedule from the lineup posted on its website.

Earlier Sunday, WAVY meteorologist Ricky Matthews predicted the delay could be lengthy if organizers were basing it off the forecast. Not only was it delayed, none of Sunday’s events ended up happening.

Storm risk increases this afternoon with the most likely threat timing being 1-8pm. A little higher risk around 3-6pm. Make sure you have a way to get weather alerts. pic.twitter.com/mmRMe5sNMV
— Ricky Matthews (@WAVY_RickyM) April 30, 2023

You can follow the latest updates from Ricky and the rest of the WAVY Weather team on Twitter and via out WAVY Weather App.

You can also follow the latest festival updates via the SITW app.

Just before 4 p.m. Something in the Water tweeted “our gates are not yet open yet, but we’re working to resume performances soon.”

Thanks for your patience as we continue to monitor the weather conditions impacting the festival site.

Our gates are not yet open, but we’re working to resume performances soon. Updates to be provided in the SITW app.
— SOMETHING IN THE WATER (@sitw) April 30, 2023

The first performer on the main stages on Sunday, KayCyy, was scheduled to start at 1:40 p.m. Clipse, Wu-Tang Clan, Grace Jones, Nile Rodgers and Chic and more are also scheduled to perform Sunday.

The Pop-Up Church service was scheduled to begin at noon at 22nd Street at the Oceanfront. That location does feature a large pavilion that can keep many guests out of the rain, but getting soaked isn’t the only issue.

Severe storms with lightning and high winds began to roll through the region in the early afternoon and was expected to last until around 8 p.m., WAVY meteorologist Ricky Matthews says.

There was also a significant five-hour weather delay on Friday.

Sunday’s forecast comes after a sunny day full of activities on day 2 of Something in the Water, including a Pharrell and Phriends set that featured Diddy, Chris Brown, Latto and Busta Rhymes.

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