VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Tickets for the much anticipated Something In The Water festival went on sale today.
Scores of people lined up at the Veterans United Home Loans amphitheater in Virginia Beach to be the first to snag tickets to the big event.
“I got here at 5:30 then they kicked us out!” said Wayne Cochran. “Then when they opened the gates we all sprinted back to get back in the front.”
Saturday morning marked the Virginia-locals-only ticket sale, and the line stretched around the box office all the way into the parking lot.
People showed up at the amphitheater before the sun rose to be the first ones to grab tickets.
There were a lot of college students in line like Norfolk State University student Zachary Duckett.
“We brought our textbooks and everything. We were studying out here,” he said.
Cochran added: “We have a biochemistry test on Wednesday, we have lab reports due, we got our stuff out here.”
Groups of families and friends also showed up to wait. Derrick Vernon made new friends after volunteering to get breakfast for people waiting in line.
“I met them in line this morning at 6 o’clock before the police kicked us out! We had to run in here,” Vernon said. “I went to McDonald’s and got us some food. This comraderie, they saved my spot while I went to get everybody food.”
Also in line were a lot of people who went to the first festival back in 2019 like Tanya Travis who said: “That was amazing. Sunday service was number number 1! It’s so worth it. I love Pharrell.”
A lot of people expected the long lines and came prepared.
“I brought snacks like food and popcorn,” Christine Thornton said. “My son is in line way up front I’m here to get tickets for my daughter, I have my chair, I have my book.”
But others decided to wing it.
“We didn’t come prepared! This is our first time doing something like this,” Jordan Russell said.
The earlier you arrived the better. Tickets are sold in tiers and while there’s no difference in festival experience between the tiers, there is a difference in price.
“I felt like there was going to be a lot of people out here so we wanted to be first! We were trying to get tier 1,” Cierra Coleman said.
Online general admission tier 1 tickets start at $195 while tier 5 jumps up to $325. Locals got a special deal today at $185.
Janay Cooks and Ashley Chambliss we’re the first two in line.
“We’re excited for the concert, everything he does in the community,” Cooks said.
They both said getting up early and waiting for hours for a ticket is worth it.
“I walked in here it was kind of dark and yeah I’m here!” Chambliss said.