Why this weekend's Sailfest could be a last hurrah for Great Salt Lake boaters — for now

Editor's note: This article is published through the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, a solutions journalism initiative that partners news, education and media organizations to help inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lake.

MAGNA — Sailfest is a Great Salt Lake tradition, bringing all types of groups together for a day of music, food, and of course, boating on the lake.

"(It's) a community celebration of the Great Salt Lake," said Jake Dreyfous, managing director of Grow the Flow, a nonprofit initiative seeking to preserve the lake, which now co-organizes the event alongside the Great Salt Lake Yacht Club.

Low lake levels prevented the event — or any boating for that matter — for several years, but that changed when back-to-back above-normal snowpack years brought levels up to a five-year high and the event back from a five-year hiatus in 2024.

Those gains will allow the event to take place again this weekend at Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina, 13312 W. 1075 South. A "family-friendly day" featuring cardboard boat racing, kayaking and a sailing regatta, along with live music, food trucks, art workshops and educational workshops, will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

However, organizers say Saturday's event could be the last of its kind for the foreseeable future due to new lake trends.

The Great Salt Lake's southern arm is listed at 4,193.2 feet elevation after likely peaking in May, while its northern arm is listed at 4,192.5 feet elevation, per federal data. The lake is unlikely to gain much more since nearly all of the lake's snowpack has already melted, meaning that its highest point this year is all but certain to be 2 feet below last year's peak.

The lake is "noticeably lower" and bad enough that some of the larger boats are stuck at Great Salt Lake Marina, Dreyfous said. Boats were hauled out of the marina when lake levels began to decline a few years ago, reaching an all-time low in 2022.

The lake lost 3 feet in elevation last year from a combination of above-normal heat and below-normal precipitation. With long-range forecasts suggesting that similar conditions are likely to prevail this summer, experts warn that the lake could experience similar declines over the next few months.

"We had a little bit of a breathing (room) and it's back to a little bit of a nervous feeling," said Joel Williams, deputy director of the Utah Division of Water Resources, as he briefed state lawmakers on the situation last month.

Boats may have to be plucked out of the marina if history repeats itself. All of that is to say, the lake may not be boatable again soon — a reality that will be present at this year's Sailfest.

Some activities will center around updates on the lake's health and ways to improve water conservation, helping get more water to the lake. The ultimate goal, Dreyfous said, is making sure that Saturday's event isn't the last Sailfest ever.

"We're inviting people to come and celebrate Great Salt Lake, but also bear witness to its decline," he said. "Until we can get the lake back to a healthy level, this is likely the last opportunity and the last year for Sailfest, and more specifically, sailing on the lake. That puts a 150-year history of the Great Salt Lake Yacht Club at risk — until we can get the lake back to a healthy level."

Saturday's event is free to the public, but visitors must still pay the state park entry fee if they park at the marina. The fees are $10 per vehicle or $5 for senior citizens, and $2 per walk-in or bike. Organizers will operate a free shuttle service from noon to 5 p.m. for anyone who chooses to park at The Great Saltair instead, Dreyfous said.

Visitors can also register to win prizes at the event. Raffle prizes include ski passes, spa treatments, sailing lessons and a fly-fishing trip.

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