Huge gathering in Idaho forest was canceled – sort of – but hundreds are still coming
The annual gathering of an “alternative lifestyle” group slated to bring thousands to an Idaho national forest has been called off — kind of — but officials say attendees are still arriving, raising concerns about potential spread of the coronavirus.
The Rainbow Family of Living Light, which describes itself on its website as “the largest non-organization of non-members in the world,” planned to hold its annual peace gathering July 1-7 in the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest. Each year, the group holds the gathering on different national forest lands, drawing crowds that range from 2,000 to 10,000 individuals, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic this year, the group unofficially suspended its plans to meet in Idaho, according to a short statement on its website.
“Things are obviously different this year,” the statement reads. “While there are no leaders in Rainbow, there can’t really be a decision, but it appears that the common consensus is to not gather this July to respect the rights of people in Idaho to not be accidentally infected.”
Below that statement on the website, in a larger bold font than the word “decision,” the group also wrote: “Ignore all rumors of cancellation or organization! Live Lightly with the Land and People!”
According to a news release from the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest, Forest Service officials are expecting a much smaller crowd of about 500 people at the Rainbow Family gathering, which is taking place outside of Riggins.
The gathering is in defiance of Forest Service rules, which require permits for gatherings of more than 75 people.
“In terms of a permit, the Rainbow Family has consistently refused to comply with the permit process during national gatherings, since they claim to have no leaders and no one member who can speak for the group or sign a permit on behalf of the family,” explained Forest Service spokeswoman Julie Thomas in an email to the Statesman.
“However the agency works with the family to adhere to a resource protection plan in lieu of a special use permit to protect the health and safety of individuals at the gathering and in the surrounding community, to ensure sensitive resources are protected, to minimize any environmental damage and to coordinate post-event cleanup and rehabilitation of the event site.”
Attendees have also flouted the concerns of the Nez Perce tribe, which in a statement earlier this month said it had concerns about the gathering related to the virus, and other cultural and environmental factors.
“There is no guarantee that people coming in from other states or even from other areas of Idaho are not carriers of COVID-19,” the statement reads. “Many people carrying this virus are asymptomatic. Therefore, a gathering could become dangerous for the citizens of our reservation with a simple trip to the grocery store by one member of the Rainbow Family gathering.”
Idaho has experienced a surge in COVID-19 diagnoses in the past two weeks as state restrictions began to lift. By Monday, Idaho County had three confirmed cases of the disease.
This story was originally published June 29, 2020 at 5:48 PM.
