Media Coverage

This section is articles from various newspapers I've collected off the net. Many thanks to those that typed or scaned these in. It's important to realize that many in the media have great difficulty explaining the Gatherings to their readers, and many seem to have a very negative impression of the Gatherings. At the best,. most of these are slanted, and not very objective. Still, these are interesting and amusing. A personal favorite is the article about the Vermont Gathering

For a more "Rainbow Centric" viewpoint, see this collection of regional newsletters that get published around the world.

TV Transcripts

Amazing America Transcript (TV): Amazing America segment on Discovery Channel (Cable) 10/14/94 9:00pm Thursday. "Welcome to the Rainbow Gathering."

Misc coverage

Treading Softly On the Earth:The Rainbow Tribe's Impact on Forest Lands: This article is an indepth look at the cleanup side of the Rainbow Gatherings. It goes into detail covering the process of cleanup, and the thoughts of the various Forest Service's District Rangers years later.
Meme Gardens: The Rainbow Gathering: This column will diverge from our previous general abstractions to talk about a specific meme garden -- the national Rainbow Gathering, created by a group sometimes known as the Rainbow Family of Living Light.

1997 - Second Oregon Gathering

Agency mobilizing to handle Rainbow event: This is mostly about the Forest Service setting up their rather over-staffed survalliance group of 90 people!
SF Chronicle: A rather bizzare "stuck in the sixties" view of the gathering.
Associated Press: A brief article that went out on the API wire.
Chill Over the Rainbow: A supringly positive article wondering why the Feds bother to have so much law enforecment at Gatherings, where none is needed.

1996 Ozark Gathering

For 25 years, the Rainbow Family has gathered each Fourth of July to create a community outside of mainstream society: A nice, fairly balanced article for a change from a Missouri reporter. He has a few other interesting little Rainbow pieces on his web site.
Chasing Rainbows in the Ozarks: Another nice, balanced article on the Missouri Gathering.
Ozark Gazette: A recent article about the Gathering coming to the Ozarks, and the new Forest Service regulations.
Rainbow Family Leaves Forest Gathering Ends Without Trouble: A Kansas City Star article on the end of the Gathering.
Businesses Near Forest Give Group Mixed Reviews: A poor attempt at fair coverage degenerates into the reporter's negative bias.
For The Rainbows, Almost Anything Goes: A somewhat negative article by a reported who has sex on her brain. Unfortunately she let her own feelings heavily warp this article.

1996 Osceola, FL Regional

This is the regional where the Federal Goverment filed suit against the "Rainbow Family" for breaking the new group use regulations. For info on the group use regulations that effectively make Rainbow Gathering illegal, see this page

Rainbow Family Is Hauled From Forest To Court: Tallahassee Democrat, Friday February 23, 1996.
Neo-hippies trip on peace, love: Phoenix Gazette 3/2/96.
Rainbow Festival: OSCEOLA NATIONAL FOREST -- Far up in the northern reaches of Florida, dinner was served for about 300 people known as the Rainbow Family...

1995 - Second New Mexico Gathering

Rainbow Gathering Report!: For those unfamiliar with it, the Rainbow Gathering is basically just a big campout on National Forest land, with 10-15,000 other folks, and nobody in charge. No admission fees, no reservations.
Over The Rainbow: Looking For A New And Different Vacation This Summer? Boy, Have We Got An Experience For You.
Locals React To Rainbows: Local loggers complain about Rainbow Gathering. They'd wanted to clearcut the site; The Taos News, Thursday, June 22, 1995
Rainbow Update: More on the local loggers gripping about the Gathering.
Forest Hosts Rainbow Family Reunion: Thousands Unite By Tres Piedras; Albuquerque Journal, 07-01-95.
Rainbows Get Cozy: Colorful Crowd Now 8,000-Strong; Albuquerque Journal, 07-03-95.
People Hand To Hand: Rainbow Family Circles In Silent Peace Meditation; Albuquerque Journal, 07-05-95.

1994 Wyoming Gathering

Zippy Pronoia Tour to US '94: The Zippy Pronoia Tour rumbled through the Wyoming wilderness to arrive at the annual national rendezvous of the American Rainbow Family.
Big Piney Criticizes Law Enforcement: An article from the Star-Tribune of Casper, Wyoming dated July 10, 1994 "Town says officers overzealous during Rainbow gathering"
Merchants: Gathering good for business: Big Piney - Business people in the Big Piney area say the recent annual Rainbow Family of Living Light gathering was profitable.
Editorial #1: Editorial from "Jackson Hole ????" (not News) dated July 6, 1994 "Rainbows denounce big brother - until they need his help, that is"
Editorial #2: Op-ed piece from "Jackson Hole ????" (not News) dated July 6, 1994 "Dialectical rainbowism, ideals spawn contradiction"
End of the Rainbows: Front page article from Jackson Hole News dated Wednesday, July 6, 1994 "Annual gathering culminates in a communal prayer for world peace."

1992 Colorado Gathering

Western Slope site For July 'Groove-in': Article from the Denver Post on the Second Colorado Rainbow Gathering.

1991 Vermont Gathering

A Gathering of the Tribes: This was written for a big New York magazine, which accounts for the somewhat stilted tone. In any case, they decided any story they did on hippies would have to be "ironic" and decided not to publish. Too bad, it's pretty good.

1988 - Texas Gathering

Rainbow clan gets nod for gathering: A federal judge declares the second attempt by the Forest Service to enforce the second version of the group use regulations, unconstitutional.

1986

Federal judge dismisses charges against Rainbow Family members: A federal judge declares the first attempt by the Forest Service to enforce the group use regulations unconstitutional.
Judge dismisses charges against Rainbow members: Another article on the same court case where a federal judge declares the forst attempts at the Forest Service regulations unconstitutional.

1985 - First Missouri Gathering

Phantom Jets Disturb Peace Group: This talks about the local air farce boyz who felt a need to buzz the gathering. It was incredibly noisy, and made everything shake.

1983 - Michigan Gathering

A party for flower children who never grew old: This is sortof a series of quick interviews with folks at the Michigan Gathering.

1981 - Oregon Gathering

Fulfillment: Prayer circle symbolizes it: This talks about the ceremony on the 4th of July to pray for world peace.

1977 - First New Mexico Gathering

What is the Rainbow Family All About?: This journalist attempts to figure out what makes us tick.

1972 - The First Rainbow Gathering, Ever (in Colorado)

Armageddon Postponed: Excerpt from Rolling Stone about the first Rainbow Gathering in 1972 by Granby, Colorado
Peace and Religious Festival Begins in Colorado: NY Times article on the first Rainbow Gathering in Colorado.

International Gatherings

Cork Examiner (Irish Gathering): This is an article from a Cork newspaper about the September gathering in Castletownshend, Ireland.