Music legend and mogul Pharrell Williams announced this week that his SOMETHING IN THE WATER FESTIVAL will return on Juneteenth Weekend 2022 for an epic display of artistry, culture, and diversity in the nation’s capital. 

Produced by Live Nation and Redrock Entertainment, SITW will take place June 17 to 19 in Washington, DC to celebrate art, culture, and music. Originally in Virginia, SITW was moved to the capital this year to ‘put culture and music on a more global stage.’ Pharrell also decided to move the festival from its original location after his cousin was shot and killed by law enforcement in March 2021 in VA.

There will be performances from everyone’s favorite artists including Usher, Chloe x Halle, Lil Baby, Pusha T, Tyler, The Creator, Lil Uzi Vert, Teyana Taylor, Tobe Nwigwe, Dave Matthews Band, Pharrell & Phriends, Jon Baptiste, Lucky Daye, Calvin Harris, and so many more. 

With DC being the home of Go-Go music, this year’s festival will also feature Go-Go musicians Backyard Band, Rare Essence, and Sound of the City, all performing live. The multiday festival will be spread across three stages on Independence Avenue and adjacent streets.

SITW is bringing more than just music performances this year by implementing additional programming that confronts systematic issues in the minority community. Pharrell’s non-profit organization Black Ambition, a program dedicated to bridging the gap of success for Black and Latinx people launching tech companies, will be hosting a 25k pitch competition for local DC entrepreneurs and startup founders. The organization will also host multiple panel discussions and fireside chats geared towards educating attendees on Web 3.0 startup funding, mentorship opportunities for Black and Latinx startup founders, and a marketplace to showcase the products of the first year of Black Ambition founders.

XQ Institute, an organization dedicated to rethinking high schools nationwide, will also be joining this year’s SITW festival by curating interactive, community-centered events highlighting the organization’s new partnership with DC Public Schools. They will also showcase and celebrate the 2022 graduating class of high school students across the country. On Sunday, attendees will gather at West Potomac Park near the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial for the return of Pop-Up Church. The service is free to the public and the lineup will be announced soon. 

Through music and cultural appreciation, Pharrell’s SITW festival is reconnecting and unifying the DMV area by bringing together communities from across the region. By showcasing the love of music, Pharrell hopes to spread a universal message of love that resonates with all people. 

“SOMETHING IN THE WATER is a Black solution (LOVE) for a systemic issue, and this year we are taking our celebration to a higher platform – the nation’s Capital during Juneteenth Weekend,” Pharrell said. “We want to show the world that there is SOMETHING IN THE WATER across the whole DMV and I want to continue to bring awareness to the greatness within these communities and invite large corporations to show up for the people.”

The city of Washington DC is also fully backing SITW and is excited for the festival to touchdown in the capital. Believing in the celebration of music and Black culture, Mayor Muriel Bowser said the city is proud to work alongside Pharrell to bring this festival to life. 

“If you’re celebrating music, if you’re celebrating Black excellence, if you’re drawing attention to the people who have dedicated their lives to knocking down barriers and uplifting our communities — then there is no better place to do that than in Washington, DC,” Bowser said. “We are proud to be working with Pharrell to bring SOMETHING IN THE WATER to DC for Juneteenth weekend. DC is open and we are ready to celebrate.”

DC residents and officials are excited for the festivities descending on the city on Juneteenth Weekend. After years of working to have Juneteenth recognized as an official federal holiday, SITW is the culmination of Pharrell and other thought leaders’ efforts to have this 400-year-old holiday celebrated the right way. 

“Washington, DC fully embraces Pharrell’s vision of promoting music, culture, diversity, and the importance of empowering youth in our community,” said Ralph Morton, senior vice president and managing director, Sports & Entertainment Division at Events DC.  “SOMETHING IN THE WATER will become a powerful tradition in DC, attracting visitors from around the country to our nation’s capital as we celebrate Juneteenth weekend.”

Three-day passes for SITW will go on sale to the general public beginning Saturday, April 30^th at 10 am EST at SOMETHINGINTHEWATER.COM.