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Rainbow Family Creation
The Rainbow Family was first created. The gathering located at Milo Mclver State Park in Estacada, Oregon. Barry “Plunker'' Adams and Garrick Beck are the founders of the Rainbow Family. August 28 - September 3, 1970 -
First Official Gathering
At the Strawberry Lake in Colorado, the first official gathering for the Rainbow Family was held. These gatherings are annual and occur in dozens of other countries. The traditional gatherings typically last for a week and there are no leaders. -
Start of Murders
In West Virginia, two young women, who were hitchhiking to the Rainbow Gathering at Monongahela National Forest, were shot to death. The Rainbow members questioned if it was the local residents who shot them since there was tension between the members and local residents. The police later said it was 2 local men, Jacob Beard and Greenbrier County, held responsible for the murder. -
European Rainbow Gathering
The first European Rainbow gathering happened in 1983. -
Israel Rainbow Gathering
The first Rainbow gathering in Israel was organized by American immigrants. They extended it to last 6 weeks. -
Jacob Beard Continued
Jacob Beard was finally convicted in 1999. But in 2000 was free of charge and received a $2 million settlement due to wrongful conviction. Joseph Paul Franklin was the actual murderer. (shown in picture) -
First Banner
The first “Rainbow Family” banner was hung up in Richwood, West Virginia to welcome attendees to the gatherings. -
Cost of Virus Outbreak
The dogs at the Rainbow Gathering in Big Red Park experienced a virus outbreak. Which required 200 doses of vaccine for the dogs. This cost the Routt County Humane Society $800. -
Murders Continued
During a Rainbow Gathering in Colorado, there were 3 non-fatal stabbings. In another gathering in Utah, a woman was found dead. In Utah, "Leilani Novak-Garcia, known as "Hitler" among Rainbow Family hippies, was arrested Monday after police said she tried to kill a man at a Utah campsite." -
Another Shooting
During a gathering in Florida, a fatal shooting occurred. -
A Misunderstanding
“In 2015, a group of Native American academics and writers issued a statement against the Rainbow Family members who are "appropriating and practicing faux Native ceremonies and beliefs.” Rainbow members were not aware of this, but it was already accidentally practiced. -
Open Murder Case
In Florida in February 2021, a man who was hosting a Rainbow Gathering in Ocala National Forest was murdered. The killer drove off. Larry DeWayne Dugger was also taken to the hospital where later he died. The case is still open to any new information found.