‘Biggest lake party in Kansas’ starts Friday. But you can’t enter the lake, state says

Thousands of visitors are expected at one of Sedgwick County’s most popular lakes this weekend, but they are being warned to stay out of the water.

Lake Afton, located in western Sedgwick County near Goddard, is under a blue-green algae warning by the Kansas Department of Health, according to a Sedgwick County news release.

The Dam Jam Music Festival, dubbed the “the biggest lake party in Kansas,” is slated for Friday and Saturday at Lake Afton, the festival’s website shows.

The festival is held in Kansas every year on the third weekend of July where “concert goers enjoy live outdoor music paired with camping, a cornhole tournament, car show and more,” the website said.

The county encourages the “thousands of campers expected at Lake Afton” to be cautious around the water.

“Please be aware that a blue-green algae warning prohibits swimming and other contact with the water,” the release said. “Sedgwick County encourages anyone who plans to attend and/or who knows someone going to the event to share this information.”

KDHE says signage should be posted at all public access locations around the lake. Animals should also not go near or drink the water.

The KDHE website monitors and lists Kansas lakes and reservoirs that may have harmful algal blooms.