Lakefest is set to pull Utahns out to Great Salt Lake State Park on Saturday, June 13, for a free, family-friendly blowout that doubles as a call to action on the shrinking lake. Organizers are pitching a day of kayaking, cardboard-boat races, art workshops, live music, and food trucks, all threaded with education on the lake’s future. The urgency is not subtle: the Great Salt Lake is hovering at roughly a third of its historic volume, a drop advocates warn is putting wildlife, air quality, and local jobs in the crosshairs.
Event listings show Lakefest running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the GSL Yacht Club inside Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina, according to KSL. The free, all-ages festivities are designed to pair on-the-water fun with chances to learn about the lake’s health and restoration efforts. Organizers say they want newcomers rubbing shoulders with scientists, farmers and policymakers who are in the trenches trying to get more water back into the lake.
Numbers and risks
The scale of the decline is hard to ignore. A Congressional Research Service analysis finds the lake has lost roughly two-thirds of its historic volume and that hundreds of square miles of lakebed now sit exposed, putting an estimated $1.9–$2.5 billion in annual economic activity at risk, according to the Congressional Research Service. Exposed playa has already been tied to more frequent dust events and worsening air-quality concerns for communities downwind.
Local trackers and outlets do not always land on the same percentage, but they consistently place the lake in the mid-30s by volume. Real-time display boards covered by FOX13 have shown similar mid-30s figures, a visual reminder along the freeway of how far the lake still has to go.
Grow the Flow and the push to restore the lake
Lakefest is organized by Grow the Flow, a statewide coalition that brings together nonprofits, farmers, scientists, and civic leaders to chase water, policy fixes, and funding for the lake’s recovery, as outlined by Grow the Flow. The group has been active through the 2026 legislative session and in local advocacy campaigns, arguing that relatively modest changes in water use and targeted investments can buy crucial time while longer-term solutions take shape. The festival is also meant to be a public show of force, signaling to elected officials that there is real constituency support behind major restoration work.
What Utahns can do
Organizers and experts stress that everyday choices matter. Cutting back on lawn watering, fixing leaky or broken sprinklers, and converting nonessential turf to more water-wise landscaping can all free up water that ultimately helps refill the lake. Advocacy groups and local campaigns track these strategies and tally potential savings on sites like Great Salt Lake Rising. As reported by ABC4 Utah, one local advocate summed up the yard makeover mindset with a blunt rallying cry: “brown is the new green.”
A cultural spotlight
The lake’s story is also getting the documentary treatment. Abby Ellis’s film The Lake premiered at Sundance this year, backed by high-profile executive producers Leonardo DiCaprio and Jimmy Chin, a combination organizers say has helped boost public awareness and fundraising momentum around the crisis. Details about the documentary and its Sundance premiere are available on The Lake.
Lakefest is free and open to the public, and organizers hope the blend of recreation and science will hook new supporters and give them concrete ways to help restore the Great Salt Lake. Event times and logistics are listed on Visit Salt Lake.
