Rainbow gatherings have been happening for decades and I only just went to my first recently. Has anybody ever gone? What did you think? Also if anyone knows of one they should post that. Nationals is taking place in New Mexico right now.

I've always wanted to go, but now I realize that Rainbow kids are fucking sketch as hell!

I'd trust a rainbow kid as far as I could throw 'em.

Yes. Plenty of times.

And hexagonomicon, I'm right there with you. The only time I've been ripped off with LSD was the 2 times it came from a "Rainbow Family kid".
Jerks.

That may rub some people the wrong way, but buyer beware!!

WS

I've been to many regionals in "the greater ny area" but never any of the nationals. I knew a lot of "family members" from Dead tour back in the day.

Actually.....funny story. I was at a rainbow gathering in Central Park (early 90's) and a bunch of us were hackey sacking and all of a sudden, out of the blue.....woody harrelson came up to us and asked if he could join in on the hackey sac. We we're all dumbfounded but none the less he joined the circle.
I was thinking, damn it would be cool to smoke a spliff w/ woody, so i asked him if he wanted to smoke.He checked out the bag.....he claimed that people had tried to lace weed in the past to get him fucked up. So, we all smoked with woody! He was all talking about zen buddhism and i was blown away cuz it was before he even did Natural Born Killers, so i only knew him as goofy woody from cheers.LOL
About 6 months later my friend and i saw him in "Sheaps Meadow" (area in central park) doing yoga with this beautiful lady....so we thought we'd say what's up and see if he remembered us. He was totally cool, he smoked us out this time and invited us to hear his band play,later that night (they we're ok).

Sorry, i got off topic but it's a funny story that started at a rainbow gathering. I've alway's wanted to go to the national but never made it. Anyone going?

I don't know about these day's but ten yrs. or so....there was alway's a good vibe and no one real sketchy but it's been a while.

Relatively the same here, been to regional and local gatherings around the world for decades. As a rule I avoid all large gatherings regardless of theme or community. Biggest is never best. Biggest anything attracts the biggest wannabes, vultures, and heat.

hexagonomicon - Rainbow is beautiful. Don't let random people falsely parading under some label fool you into thinking you have an understanding of the depth of possible experience within that community.

**EDIT: the negative 'drainbow' sentiment is understandable though. No community is without problems and many people have only been exposed to those problems.

It used to be quite a beautiful thing, but it has kind of turned into a underground railroad for runaways now...at least out West.
It's really too bad.

The really unfortunate thing about the rainbow-rips off I mentioned earlier, was that they involved two different guys I had known for years.
It was years apart, but both at some point, joined the rainbow family, quit their jobs, stated traveling with them, gave away everything they had...to the rainbow family...came back through town a year or so later.
I see them for the day or two they are here & right before leaving they offer to sell to me (not give to me...like family...& like I did dinner & a place to stay for them) some of the "most amazing liquid, that only the family gets". I bite (both times...I was young ), they split.
We take some of it...it's LSD, but 5-6 drops equals about 1 good one.

Lame!

The second time, I even took some with "my pal" the night before, to check it out & the fucker did the ole' switcharoo on me with the bottles, no shit!
These were both great guys I knew a long, long time. Who I knew I trusted...until then.
I have never been "hustled", anybody else except when I messed with narcotics for a time, in my twenties.
But that was expected.
BTW (I hesitate to say this, but it may actually help somebody, someday) both guys eventually ended up living on the street, after years of Heroin addiction. That began while in the family.

One of them now cleaned up & has a real family. I have no idea what has happened to the other.

I know this is not necessarily how it is everywhere, but it's not the same thing it now, as it was when the idea was started I'm afraid.

WS

Warren, i tend to repeat myself aswell.

Oops...

Heavy enter key....

I deleted the extra posts.

WS

WS I agree with this statement since a few people I met at the Iowa regional's where homeless and living off others in disrespect. And there were those who were like actual family, nice as hell, so rainbow has got it's problems. But i had fun, did my own thing, the original idea is what drew me in and I had a blast.

07 gathering at Index in WA. It wasn't big but it was my first/last. I felt kind of bad for their dogs/children. The communal kitchens gave it a really good feel. People were always on patrol with tobacco handouts. On one side there was 211 guzzling alcoholics, people doing runs to town and hilariously washing store front windows for free buckets of chicken and such. There were so many children and dogs there that a road block was set up on this gravel road to prevent the townies from speeding through a common area between camps, this action led to the downfall of the party that wound up with quite a few police men with machine guns or high powered rifles roaming this whole area telling us to leave. Me and a pal made a game out of fallowing a cop in the shaddows with our 40's of Mickeys. It was a good experience but a stupid immature event.

I heard about that incident. I think what freethinker said is true...... the regionals and locals tend to attract less "riff raff" and free loaders that are looking to rip people off.

I don't think i would travel to go to any of the nationals but stick with the smaller ones.Now that i live in florida...... i know there is a group a few hrs. north in central florida that i'd be willing to check out but it definately seems as if "the scene" has changed in the last 10 -15 yrs.

It's too bad.... it used to be all about "The Family".