By Shannon Lukens.
Members of the Rainbow Family continue to make the trek to northwest Routt County for the 50th anniversary of the Rainbow Gathering. Close to 2,000 people are there, to be ready for the main celebration July 1-7. Over 10,000 are expected.
Grand County had expected to have the gathering there since that is where it was first held 50 years ago. They were preparing. But Christine Travis with Grand County says the county nor the forest service had anything to do with the Rainbow Family’s decision to hold it in Routt County this year. She said the Rainbow Family hosts a council in mid-June each year and that’s when they determine where the event will be held. She added, “While we sympathize with our neighbors to the northwest, we didn’t have anything to do with the Rainbow Family’s decision.”
The Rainbow Gathering is on National Forest land. Here’s the Public Information Officer for the US Forest Service, Hilary Markin.
Markin says the national forest service law enforcement officers are up there to minimize any negative effects to the local community and the environment and the visitors.
There were more Rainbow People than community members at a Town Hall at the library in Steamboat Springs this weekend. Just a handful of people showed up. One was 30-year Rainbow attendee, Karin Zirk from San Diego, Calif.
The U.S. Forest Service has closed a good part of California Park which borders the gathering in Adams Park. It’s to protect the animals and natural resources. Routt County Road 80 runs right through it, and that road is open.
- June 26 update from the US Forest Service
- June 24 update from the US Forest Service
- Rainbow Gathering meeting in Craig
- All Rainbow Gathering updates from Steamboat Radio News
- US Forest Service Website for the Rainbow Gathering
- USDA Virtual Meeting Presentation
In Craig, park restrooms are temporarily closed through July 8. There will be portable restrooms set up at Woodbury, City Park, and Breeze Park. Craig Parks and Rec says there has been vandalism at those facilities in the past few years so they are “looking into measures to secure those assets.”
Also, only the wave pool at the Craig Swimming Complex is open this week. Open swim hours in the wave pool are 1-7 p.m. Regular programs are still scheduled in the lap pool. The city pool is short on staff this week. There is also a lifeguard class coming up next month.
Craig City Council meets tonight. There is a presentation from the Craig Pickleball Group about how it is growing in Craig. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m.
Spraying for mosquitos could start in Craig and Maybell, weather permitting. Spraying is Thursday night in Hayden.
And finally… Zipper Merge. Use both lanes until the merge point.
For the KRAI Time, Temp, and Weather Hotline, call 970-824-1918.