The controversial 50th annual 'Rainbow Gathering,' associated with a group called Rainbow Family of Living Light, is days away, expected to draw thousands to Colorado's backcountry.
The event is set to officially take place from July 1 to July 7 in a remote area of Routt National Forest called Adams Park, though these dates are relatively loose for many attendees. Locals report that members of the Rainbow Family of Living Light are already showing up in the area, with many stays expected to extend well past the July 7 date.
People walk along a trail at the Rainbow Family encampment of the 'non-organization's' 2014 event in Utah's Uinta National Forest. An estimated 4,000 attended that event, though some events have attracted up to 20,000 in the past. Photo Credit: Rick Bowmer, The Associated Press.
Estimates regarding how many people will attend the event have ranged from 10,000 to 50,000 – either way, it's expected to bring big crowds. A report from Steamboat Pilot states that the event is expected to sprawl across 800 to 900 acres of land.
The Rainbow Family of Living Light group isn't rigid – considering themselves to be a loose-knit 'non-organization,' often described by outsiders as hippies. The purpose of their annual get-together is to bring people with a similar mindset together in a natural setting. The US Forest Service says people attend the event "to discuss political and environmental issues, pray for world peace, and celebrate life."
The group has held gatherings in Colorado at least three previous times – in 1972, in Grand County, for their first gathering; in 1992, at Overland Reservoir, near Paonia; and in Routt County in 2006, when the group set up camp in Big Red Park.
The announcement of the Colorado location for this year's gathering immediately sparked a wave of controversy, with the public raising concerns about fire safety, damage to natural resources, and potential crime.
While the gathering isn't permitted – it's also well over the 75-person group limit for Forest Service land gatherings – authorities have publicly stated that they struggle to prevent the gathering from taking place. Not only does stopping a crowd of that size with limited resources pose a remarkable challenge, there are also first amendment concerns that have been raised in the past related to infringing on the right to assemble.
In the past, law enforcement has typically found a way to have a positive presence at the gatherings instead of pushing to shut the gatherings down. This is the case this year, with one forest supervisor stating "the focus for us is going to be on resource protection and public health and safety."
While the group has said that they plan to help with rehabilitation of the remote area after the conclusion of the official event, officials are also taking measures to prevent damage from taking place. In previous years, Forest Service has stated that concerns can relate to soil damage, water quality degradation, sanitation issues, damage to sensitive archeological sites, and impacts to local wildlife.
Online talk of the event has been ramping up in recent weeks, with many attendees turning to a popular Facebook group with their excitement and questions. People discuss how they'll be cooking food, what the parking situation will be like, coordination of shared rides, and the possibility of a fire ban (right now, conditions do not meet what would result in a fire ban).
Some people – presumably not involved with the 'non-organization' – have also voiced their concerns on the event page, including that the gathering may disrupt local elk calving.
A response to these concerns – now a 'featured post' on the page – states that "The Rainbow does have room for criticism, but criticism from people who have never even attended a gathering about things that they know nothing about is useless dialogue in this group [...] All of those concerns are being brought up by locals who are ignorant to how our gathering works and are concerns that we share, as well, and are already on top of and have solutions for."
So, there you have it – despite the controversy and public outcry, the Rainbow Gathering is set to take place in Colorado to kick off July.
Those attending this event should brush up on their knowledge of the Leave No Trace principles and the best practices when it comes to fire safety. Damage in natural areas tends to mean a long-term recovery. Hopefully public concerns are taken seriously by the Rainbow Family of Living Light group and the impact of the gathering is minimal.
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June 23, 2022 at 10:33PM
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Controversial 'Rainbow Gathering' days away, 10,000-plus to gather in Colorado backcountry - Out There Colorado
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