Guide for Something in the Water: Here’s what you need to know

VIRGINIA BEACH — With the Something in the Water festival just days away, people have questions.

“What type of shoes do ya’ll recommend wearing for SITW. This is my first time going,” one festivalgoer posted, on a grassroots festival Facebook group page.

Veteran fans suggest sandals, flip flops, Crocs, rain boots or sneakers — the reasons run the gamut. As one person suggested, you can always switch shoes out by leaving a pair in a rented festival locker.

The concerts on the beach kickoff Friday at noon. Free events will be held in 17th, 24th and 31st street parks. City officials have said approximately 50,000 people are expected to attend. The festival organizers have not yet confirmed the number of tickets sold, but they were still offering last minute special ticket sales this week.

To help navigate the three-day festival, The Virginian-Pilot has compiled a list of information from the city and festival organizers including parking and traffic logistics, street closures, locker rentals, and what you can and cannot bring onto the festival grounds.

[ Something in the Water schedule: When to see your favorite artists ]

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Getting there and parking

• City and private parking lots and garages will be open; public parking facilities cost $20 per day. Metered parking on the street is $2 per hour. Updates on public parking inventory will be made available on social media and through text alerts.
• VBGo is the city’s events and parking app, which allows users to text to pay for parking. ParkMobile allows users to pay for city-owned parking in the resort area. Users will get text alerts when time is about to expire.
• Shuttles begin running each day at 12 p.m. from the Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, 3550 Cellar Door Way, and run continuously all day. The last shuttle leaves the festival site one hour after the music ends each night.
• The official bike parking lot is on the grass near the bike path at The Breakers Inn, 1503 Atlantic Ave.
• The designated rideshare, taxi and general pickup and drop off area is located on Monroe Avenue, adjacent to the parking lots of the Virginia Beach Sports Center.
• The city has said trolleys will not be running during the festival. Freebee, a free ride service that operates in the resort area, will be available.

[ RELATED: Hotel rooms near Something in the Water are still available — but they won’t be cheap. ]

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Street closures

• The main entrance to the festival is between 12th and 14th streets on Atlantic Avenue.
• Thursday through Monday, 3rd Street south will be closed to the public to include vehicular traffic, pedestrian traffic and the bike path from the Rudee Inlet bridge to the Boardwalk.
• Beginning at 10 a.m. Friday, Atlantic Avenue from 5th to 17th streets will be closed to vehicular traffic during festival hours. Pedestrians without a festival ticket and vehicles with an access pass will be permitted within this area.
• Use the 200 blocks between Atlantic and Pacific avenues at 9th and 17th streets to gain access to the closed areas of Atlantic Avenue.
• Vehicle access passes to Atlantic Avenue for residents and guests staying south of 5th Street are being distributed by the Virginia Beach Resort Management Office to business and community managers. Email sitw@vbgov.com with requests.
• Atlantic Avenue north of 17th Street will be open with normal traffic patterns. Pacific Avenue will be open to all traffic; expect congestion.
• 18th Street from Washington Avenue to Cypress Avenue will be closed Friday through Sunday for public safety vehicles.
• Boating is restricted 200 yards from the shore from the jetty to 42nd Street Friday through Sunday.

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Festival do’s and don’ts

• Festivalgoers and their belongings are subject to search upon entry. Small clutch purses and fanny packs that are 6 by 9 inches or smaller do not need to be clear, but can have no more than one pocket. All other bags larger than 6 by 9 inches must be smaller than 12 by 6 by 12 inches and clear. No multi-compartment bags.
• Hydration packs are allowed and do not need to be clear, but must be emptied of all liquid and have no more than two pockets in addition to the one holding the water reservoir.
• All bags, medical or diaper/parenting bag (child must be present) are subject to security screening.
• Lockers can be rented by the day for $25 or for the weekend for $65 on the festival’s website.
• Attendees will be allowed to enter and exit the festival as many times as needed until 6 p.m. All attendees must be scanned on exit at the gate to reenter that same day.

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What’s not allowed inside the festival

• Chairs (including inflatables and beanbags)
• Aerosol products (including spray sunscreen, deodorant)
• Animals/pets (Properly documented service animals assisting an individual with a disability are allowed. Comfort, therapy or emotional-support animals are not permitted.)
• Blankets
• Coolers
• Drones
• Firearms, ammunition or weapons of any kind (including knives)
• Visit the festival website for a more extensive list.

For more information in real time at the festival, sign up for the city’s text alerts: Text SITW to 67283. Call 311 for city information regarding the festival. The Waze app can be used for traffic updates.

Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, stacy.parker@pilotonline.com