2025 Ozarhoma Rainbow Gathering

Bad Tent Location - Too Close to surface water ( Photo from http://www.flickr.com/photos/meganpru/5914413517/ ) Creeks, rivers, lakes and other surface water provide water for animals in the area and spawning grounds for fish.  Water is the heart of the ecosystem. When folks disrespect the lake, they disrespect the land on which we gather as well as the heart of the gathering itself. While one or two people swimming in a lake or river can have minimal impact, when there are a few thousand of us, we can negatively impact the lake or river if we do not take the same precautions our local public pool requires. Tips & Tricks for protecting the creeks, rivers, and lakes Grab a bucket of water and rinse off at least 300 feet away from the lake, stream, and or creek and where the water won't run back into the water.  This helps remove sunscreens, tick repellent including natural remedies, and skin oils that are harmful to the lake and the creatures that live there. Do...

  Updated information will be posted here as it becomes available over the next week or so. Check back frequently as information will be refined. New directions may be added. Existing directions may be clarified.   Site specific information will be added. Last updated  Saturday, June 21st 2:25 PM Central Time.   Warning it is very hot and humid. You should be drinking a minimum of 1 gallon of water per day.  Bring a 3-5 gallons of water with you to last you as water systems are still being developed. Take rest breaks, work early and late and spend time in the shade during the middle part of the day.   We have a meadow to park in. The location of main meadow has not yet been determined.  Handicamp was taken over the by the LEOs yesterday. Folks are still working on this.  Be prepared for rain and mud.    Law Enforcement:   Be prepared for a heavy law enforcement presence. If you haven't already, read How to Get Into the Gatherin...

 Today's guest post comes from Carla We call them Rainbow Gatherings, not Rainbow Festivals, for good reason. Here’s why.  I suppose new folks have noticed by now that regular gatherers are very picky about word choices. Take, for example, the term “festival.” If someone calls the gathering “The Rainbow Festival,” they usually get jumped on and corrected, sometimes quite rudely, and almost always without explanation. So I will attempt to explain.  Technically, the gathering does fall under the general definition of a “festival,” which in many countries means a local community-wide religious or cultural observance. However, in the U.S., “festival” has a very specific meaning, and it has nothing to do with local tradition. “Festivals” here are highly commercial, usually focused around several-day music or themed events. There are ticket sales and entry gates and lots of vendors selling food, drink, and merch. The people attending go as passive observers, and have a wonderfu...

In order to live in a peaceful world, we need to treat our planet, Gaia, with the respect, love, and attention to her sustenance with which we treat our children. Climate change is the result of mistreating our amazing planet. Climate change is about changing weather patterns that make it hard for people to find drinking water for their children, that create flooding of homes and agriculture land, and that wither our crops under relentless sun. When people are hungry or thirsty, violence can easily erupt over food and water. Not just in Gaza but everywhere including the gathering.  How then do we show with our actions that we are actively working to protect Gaia from climatic changes that threaten world (and local) peace? Reduce the number of campfires. Burning carbon increases global warming. Plus if you see the cloud of wood smoke in main meadow at a gathering, you'll realize that reducing the number of campfires will improve the health of every gathering participant. Click here ...

A common point of discussion when working towards peace is defining what peace is and isn't, what it looks like, which activities are considered "peaceful" and which are not. I think at the extreme ends of the spectrum, most people can agree on what peace is and isn't. For example, most people would consider dropping bombs on other people to be the opposite of peace. Most people would consider the silent prayer/meditation for world peace and the om to be examples of peace. That's the easy stuff. In fact trying to define peace can cause even the most peaceful among us to be less than peaceful.  So what do we do if we say we want peace, but we can't even agree on what peace looks like, feels like, acts like or talks like? I'll throw out a couple of high level ideas, but even these are subject to much discussion. I hope you continue these discussions in the circles in which you find yourself.     What is Peace?   First graders have a very good concept of peac...

In my humble opinion, the gathering is good at many things, but what we are best at is creating communities made up of diverse people.  One of my fondest memories is of the Utah gathering in 2003. Just across the dirt road from INFO and CALM was a small meadow that held three small camps sharing one bliss pit:  Krishna Camp, Jesus Camp, and a punk/anarchist camp. Evenings when I stopped by the bliss pit, people were discussing and sharing ideas, perspectives, and yes sometimes arguing a bit.  Communication and community were being created. When we gather in rural towns, many gatherers connect with many of the locals in sometimes strange but usually positive ways. Many locals plug into the gathering and give deeply despite disagreeing with some of our behaviors. On the surface, I feel this is what our entire country needs to do. Have those conversations around a bliss pit or coffee table, online, or via the phone. Talk about what we can agree on. Encourage those who do not...

What is happening with Kid Village this year?  Discussions are underway among some gathering participants regarding Kid Village. Many of the usual focalizers of Kid Village will not be at the 2025 Gathering, nor will most of their equipment be there unless prior arrangements are made. Some folks think it's best if families with kids camp in small groups. Some folks think families with kids can co-create a more centralized space.  What happens is up to the folks who show up on the land, but ...... If you have children and are interested in setting up a kids space, join Everybody's Zoom  on Sunday evening at 6 PM Pacific time/9 PM Eastern time discuss what is required with other gatherers. Ask questions, try to connect with others who have the vision you have. The Kitchen Dilemma If you are looking to co-create a kids space, then  Focalizing a Kitchen  is critical.  You will need pots and pans, grates, bowls and serving utensils, hand wash, water filters...

In my humble opinion, the gathering needs more kitchens like it needs more dogs, but for some  reason, everyone wants to focalize a kitchen. That being said, being part of the kitchen provides an amazing growing, learning experience on working collectively and provide safe and healthy food in the woods. However..... The reality of focalizing a kitchen goes something like this. Main Supply won't provide all the food for cooking if you're feeding the gathering at large - either off-the-rails or at dinner circle. This means you provide much of the free food in the woods. While some kitchens have a donation can on the counter for after people have been fed, in reality most of the cost of food is born by those running the kitchen. Bring 500 to 1,000 pounds of food to get started. You'll need to provide pots and pans for cooking, 5-gallon water buckets for dish washing, filtered drinking water for you and your crew and hopefully for all gatherers. You'll need to chop wood,...

If you're looking for recorded information on the Rainbow Gathering that takes place over the 4th of July, call 530-487-4636 or 530-ITS-INFO for the directions to various things. Brought to you by a circle of volunteers who are not in charge of anything except the outgoing message on this lightline.  There are other lightlines focalized by other circles of people. Put this number into your phone if you like the information provide.      

 This fun video is a few year's old but takes you inside a Rainbow Gathering.

  Are you a first time gatherer or someone coming to the annual gathering for the first time? First off, make sure you have snacks and 2 gallons of water per person in the car before you pass the last town. (You will need the snacks and one gallon of water for your first day. The other gallon and snacks, you will leave in the vehicle for when you hike out on your last day). When approaching the Gathering site, remember that you're coming as friends in somebody else's back yard. Treat the local folks with the courtesy, respect and concern that they deserve as members of the Family of Humankind. Be Loving and Kind. Don't be rude, steal, trash the town, disturb the Peace, or try to "shock" people. Be mindful of others' sensitivities. Remember the original Golden Rule when dealing with BOTH Babylon AND Rainbow: Treat Others the Way you want to be treated! Please, make your journey a safe one. Don't be under the influence while driving. If you stop ...

 

Rap 451 Fire Safety PLEASE join our consensus: There are no leaders here. We each are responsible and accountable for creating a culture of fire safety. To protect ourselves and the forest, fire safety is vital. Community Fires Only! Reduce wildfire risk, reduce smoke and build community. Please, no personal fires. Be safe! Build fires away from tents, trees, and brush. Remove duff (flammable organic matter on the forest floor), and all debris down to the dirt for at least twenty feet around fires and smoking areas.  Have shovels and water buckets nearby. Control the size of the fire and sparks. Never throw anything into a fire. Never leave a fire unattended. Extinguish by drown-stir-feel = cold to the touch. Reduce Impact: Only gather/burn dead, down, and dry fuel. Avoid digging large boogie pits as they scar the earth. Preferably build fireplaces/structures above ground, 200 ft away from bodies of water. If you must dig, line pits with rocks/clay to avoid igniting roots. Warning:...

Rap 151 It is a tradition at Rainbow family gatherings to strongly discourage alcohol use. Even the appearance of alcohol can be triggering, or create unwanted exposure or enticement. Please leave any alcoholic beverages outside the Gathering, and please do not bring alcohol past the parking area(s).  We, especially our children, need a safe and peaceful environment in which to celebrate. We acknowledge a person’s right to drink in private, but the person must respect the rights of others to gather in an alcohol-free environment. The gathering is a sanctuary for prayer, healing, and peaceable assembly, not a festival.  Please respect this sacred space by honoring this tradition and do not bring alcohol into the woods.   If you need support with your sobriety, fellow gatherers can help you. Sober camps – historically including BrewHaha Tea House, SereniTea Ridge and others (ask at Info) – offer resources for support in recovery and healing.  Be whole, be healthy,...

Circle on July 4 Photo from Colorado 2006 (thanks Solace) The silent prayer/meditation for world peace is the culmination of our attempts to create a peaceful and harmonious gathering. Starting as the sun rises on the morning of July 4 th , the gathering will become silent. As people wake up and get ready for their day, most people respect the silence. As people are so inclined they head to main meadow to pray for world peace, do yoga for world peace, meditate for world peace and all sorts of other mellow and silent manifestations of creating the energy of world peace and the healing of the planet.  We hold this peace in preparation for the arrival of our children. The children's parade (meet at Kid Village or Dirty Kid Village a few hours before noon if you have kids and want them in the parade ) will come into the center of the circle. Please hold the silence until all the children (even the ones at the end of the parade) have made it into the center of the circle. ...

The Mini-Manual has been around for decades and has seen some updates from time to time, but it contains all the basic info. This is a great document to make copies of to bring to the gathering. Everyone needs this information and accessing the Internet at a gathering is a tough thing to do. Find the Mini Manual 2014 edition online .

There have been a few versions of booklets that help gathering participants understand the logistics of the gathering. Where Do I Poop? is the latest?   Find the full PDF online , print out copies, and distribute when you get to the gathering.