We will gather peacefully for silent meditation the morning of July 4th, 2018 from dawn until noon; and a peaceful assembly of free speech and expression from July 1st through the end of Vision Counsel; in the southern Appalachian Mountains. DIRECTIONS TO THE GATHERING ARE HERE (and contain road closure info, and other critical information. This post is updated frequently so check back for the latest.To learn how to get into the gathering without getting a mandatory court appearance ticket, click here.

Sunday, August 13, 2017

Where will the gathering be?

Updated June 12, 1:30 AM Eastern Time

Usually when someone gets on my email list, this is the first information I send them. So to you out here in blogsphere, here's that same information.
From the invite to the very first Rainbow Gathering in 1972:

We, who are brothers & sisters, children of God, families of  life on earth, friends of nature & of all people, children of humankind calling ourselves Rainbow Family Tribe, humbly invite:
  • All races, peoples, tribes, communes, men, women, children, individuals -- out of love.
  • All nations & national leaders -- out of respect
  • All religions & religious leaders -- out of faith
  • All politicians -- out of charity

to join with us in gathering together for the purpose of expressing our sincere desire that there shall be peace on earth, harmony among all people. This gathering to take place beginning July 1, 1972, near Aspen, Colorado - or between Aspen the Hopi Navajo lands - on 3000 acres of land that we hope to purchase or acquire for this gathering --  to hold open worship, prayer, chanting or whatever is the want or desire of the people, for three days, but upon the fourth day of July at noon to ask that there be a meditative, contemplative silence wherein we, the invited people of the world may consider & give honor & respect to anyone or anything that has aided in the positive evolution of humankind & nature upon this, our most beloved & beautiful world -- asking blessing upon we people of this world & hope that we people can effectively proceed to evolve, expand, & live in harmony & peace.

The 2017 Vision Council/Counsel/Circles of Rainbow Family of Living Light on the land in Oregon has consensed:
"We, the individuals assembled at the Rainbow Family of Living Light vision counsel on the land, day 6, Oregon, July 12th, 2017, invite all people home to a silent meditation and prayer for peace on July 4th from dawn until high noon, and to gather from July 1-7, 2018, for the 47th Annual North American world peace and healing rainbow family gathering on Turtle Island in the region of the Atlantic Appalachias, from the Shenandoah mountains through the Chattahoochee forest, in a forest we have not gathered in before."
Thanks F&* for the handy map. The area in the gold thumbtacks is the consensed upon area.

Translation: The 2018 gathering will take place in the southern part of the Appalachia mountains. 


Fall (Thanksgiving) Counsel/Council/Circle

The next step in the process of landing on a site is always the get-together which takes place over the four day Thanksgiving holiday weekend.  This is a time of people to council and share their hopes and dreams for the 2018 gathering.  If you have potential sites you think are worthy of scouting in the spring, bring topo maps and forest service maps.  Directions to T-council usually come out in the first half of November. Check back then.

Scout Rendezvous

Scout Rendezvous takes place on Saturday, April 7, 2018. Scout councils/rendezvous is a time for people out scouting to connect up, share information, talk about scouting efforts. As with all things Rainbow, no experience is necessary, just a desire to walk, learn, teach and share. If you come, please be self sufficient - have green energy for gas, food, etc. You don't need your own vehicle if you can be a positive traveling companion, but $$$ are always in short supply for scouting, so please bring enough for yourself and some to share with the person whose vehicle breaks down.


Spring council/counsel/circle

Spring council starts June 8, 2018 and takes as long as it takes. Spring council is when all potential sites for the gathering are brought to any people who want to be involved in selecting a site. The council usually takes one to seven days and normally ends with either a consensus by silence among people at the council or an exodus of the majority of people heading to the preferred site. Spring council goes until a decision is reached by consensus or by foot. The exact location for this council generally isn't determined until one to two weeks before spring council starts. Until the spring council process reaches a site, there is no home.  This being said, spring council is usually but not always in the area of where the best potential site(s) for the gathering are located.

For those of you who think the site is picked in advance and want to get the 411 now so you can book plane tickets.  I'm sorry, but there is no site picked at this time. However, based on the information I'm receiving if you were to book a flight into Atlanta (ATL), Asheville, North Carolina (AVL), or Greenville/Spartanburg SC, those would probably be the best airports to pick for proximity to the area where the energy seems to be taking us. 
NOTE FROM June 2:  Energy is shifting. Stay tuned.

Keep in mind that weather conditions (which are unpredictable) play a part in all of this. So let's say someone finds a great site during the summer of 2017 (and I have no knowledge that anyone did or will), for all we know come the first week of June, 2018 that site is still under snow or 2 feet of water, then what? Keep in mind that 4 feet of snow at a gathering is rough (anyone remember Washington 2011?).

Drought and high fire danger can have the same effect. A great site that was nice and wet in August 2017 can be dry as a tinder box in June 2018. If the Forest Service has a no open fire ban on that site that looked so great last year, guess it's not looking that great this year. Available water can change year to year as well depending on snow melt.  Conditions change all the time.  The family needs to find the best possible site for the health and safety of gathering participants and the land on which we gather.


Seed Camp

Once Spring Council reaches a decision, people move onto the site and start Seed Camp. Seed Camp is about creating trails, building kitchens, digging shitters, taping springs and dealing with the United States Forest Service. Historically, law enforcement harassment is highest during Seed Camp so if you are planning on being there, take the necessary precautions to keep your self out of the system if you so choose or need to. Bring your own food and drinking water. Bring first aid kits.  

The Gathering

The main day of the gathering is July 4 when we observe silence from dawn until high noon and put our energy into manifesting world peace, the positive evolution of the planet and other good things.  Many people observe this with a prayer or mediation for world peace. Others do Yoga for world peace, blow bubbles for world peace, etc. Basically, if it's a silent, gentle energy then it fits in very well.  As to when the gathering starts, that's dynamic.  It's usually one day during the last week of June when some friends and I look at each other and say "today it's a gathering."  (of course you may pick a different date than I do when it feels like a gathering and not like seed camp).


The earlier you come the more self sufficient you need to be and relationships with the Forest Service can be rougher. On the other hand, showing up for seed camp allows you to influence the way the gathering goes. If you show up later, say after June 27, then most (but not all) of the drama has subsided.  Traditionally the dates are listed as July 1 to 7, but most years people start leaving in droves on July 5th. Most years the gathering starts the last few days of June. It's hard to say when as it's an organic process, but one day it will feel like seed camp and the next day it will feel like a gathering.

The Howdy Folks (aka Directions to the gathering and important information) is available here.


Ignore all rumors of cancellation or organization!
Live lightly with the Land and People!
Be the peaceful and loving person you want to see more of in this world.
Please copy and distribute this information widely

37 comments:

  1. I still don't know where the first Rainbow Gathering will be...Please, send me a mail contained the bates ...thanks a lot.
    And congratulations.
    C.V

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  2. great explanation of what transpires;
    makes me want to pack my bags and put on my daniel boone hat;
    of course at the end there is clean up camp; that is very important to make the site disappear from our presence...

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  3. I would love the opportunity to visit family.how do I find out the location

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  4. How does one become part of your email list? I'd love to go to my first gathering this year!

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  5. any chance of info on the location of the scout rendezvous? I'm In western n.c. and know there are great sites in northern g.a. and sw virginia. let me know pleez and peas.

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    1. If you email me ( k z i r k a t e a r t h l i n k d o t n e t) I will forward your email to folks I know who are involved in the scouting effort. Otherwise, the location of everything related to Rainbow is generally sorted out a week or so before it starts.

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    2. My post above is my old e-mail...my new and working e-mail is walton369@yahoo.com
      If anybody gets the coordinates to where the 2018 southern Appalachian Gathering will be held? Also I have more room in my vehicle and I'm driving from Michigan.

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    3. hey,hey, sorry to be out of touch but ended up in Puerto, for awhile. I'm back in Asheville area and looking to plug in for seed camp as early as the 7th to 10th of June. Have plans to shuttle up 500 or so feet of black pipe w/ menders and fixtures. Have access to lot of barrels and 5 gallon buckets. but may need an extra shuttle for that. Anyhow if you could link me up with any one near the site, or on the move to do so let know. Thx a bunch. Loving you.....peas. J

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  6. Been absent from Rainbow for three years but would love to come this year 2018, in Appalachia. I used to be on your email list before I had to change mine due to hacking problems, biut would like to get info for this years event.
    How can I sign up with an insider to get location and directions? We’d love to see you all there this year, so I’m hoping for some reply. Thank you from Deirdre at; DeirdreOD88@Gmail.com

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  7. please add me to your e-mail list raymandala@ hotmail.com thanks- ray

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  8. peace, please post when site is selected for nationals if it is full of manure from cattle. last year i got real sick, like ever other time cattle manure is abundant at site, this way i know not to come. this has been asked for many of time, but seems is mostly forgotten to inform those whom may travel across the country to find so much cattle manure, staying healthy lasts like 2 days like at last years gathering.

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  9. Please add me at me to the email list walton5@yahoo.com

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  10. My post above is my old e-mail...my new and working e-mail is walton369@yahoo.com
    If anybody gets the coordinates to where the 2018 southern Appalachian Gathering will be held? Also I have more room in my vehicle and I'm driving from Michigan.

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  11. I would like visit the family here. jarleem@gmx.fr
    Cya

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  12. hope to be able to attend my first gathering sedricallen@gmail.com

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  13. Please add us to the email list, we plan to attend suranobles@gmail.com

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  14. Please add to the email list, very interested in this year's gathering

    Gagemackie@gmail.com

    Love and light

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  15. Please add me to your email list, gene5060@gmail.com
    Thanks and much love.

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  16. Email me please I'm hiking in the general area now would love to attend mokshantinewman@gmail.com

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  17. We used to take the Green Turtle bus from San Fran to Vermont in the early 80s to go the the Rainbow, it was all word of mouth but well known... today we have the internet and still cannot find them :( I am sad its so hard now...

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  18. I would like to help with Seed Camp, Please send them my info. Peacevt@gmail.com

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  19. Been years since I've been home, looking to make the trip this year. Can you add me on email for posted updates on location in the Appalachians. Thank you, peace on your journeys.
    Thorsmith24@gmail.com

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  20. Thanks for the site, I would love to go this year, could you update me on any news of the location ? Thx,
    Adam poaa27@gmail.com

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  21. I’ve never been to a gathering but I’ve heard a lot about it and have wanted to go for a long time. Please add me to your email list leaanne.maines@gmail.com I would love to help with seed camp but I don’t know where it’s at or any details. Thank you lots of love!

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  22. Please put me on the e-mail list. Thank You ! oobyboo@yahoo.com Appreciate it. Looking for Dion.

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  23. I went a in 2012 and had a wonderful time - exactly where is the location this year - I would like to come again if possible. Love & Peace to all. trustinsoul@yahoo.com

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  24. I am looking forward to contributing to the gathering in service of light and love. Please forward me the location when it is announced? adgedstar@gmail.com

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  25. I live nearby. Have gone to many Gatherings since 1978. Would like info.

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  26. See you soon! Much love and many blessings! ❣️💗🦋💗❣️ SheChattswithtrees@gmail.com

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  27. Hey Karin there is a mistake from some confusion from a local penny whistle boot who got his airport codes confused. GVL was put as an abbreviation for Greenville, but the airport code for that is GSP not GVL. So Gainsville, Georgia (GVL) (not Florida), is not correct. GSP which is Greenville Spartanburg SC is correct. Hopefully you can edit to fix.
    The correct three airports are AVL (Asheville) GSP (Greenville Spartanburg) and ATL (Atlanta)

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  28. First time for us please email location. Tennesseetexas7584@gmail

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  29. I am interested in attending, please email the location to gunsmok@earthlink.net

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  30. We are holding in Kentucky and wanting to help with set up and clean up. Please send info to tennesseetexas7584@gmail.com

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  31. Hey I am also uncertain of the location. Is there a more specific way to find it besides going to the southern part of the Appalacian Mountains? would greatly appreciate an email at aabiggs1@gmail.com

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  32. Hi, I would love to make it out this year. Please email location info to poszart@gmail.com thanks fam!

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  33. I am looking forward to coming home here in the USA...from Europe. Could not really understand how&when I can learn the location. From comments above I surmise there is an email list. Can you add me to it: a t r a y k o v a AT y a h o o . c o m

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  34. This gathering location has absolutly no consensus what so ever the original consensus was to have the gathering in elezabethton Tennessee near watagua lake in the Cherokee national Forrest this bullshit with dalonga vs was hidden from legit rainbow leader ship and planed covertly and has had zero consensus with any but a very very few people who are not rainbow but narcs ....go to this gathering at your own personal if you are a female or a person of any kind of pigment other than plaster white the city of dalogna ga has a long time white only community with ties to the local and national kkk I strongly urge real rainbows not to even thinking about attending this band come to the actual gathering in Elizabethtown / Hampton Tennessee

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