The 50th anniversary Rainbow Gathering in Routt National Forest north of Hayden officially began on Friday, July 1. The Gathering, which is not authorized by the U.S. Forest Service, could attract as many as 10,000 people to Adams Park before it’s expected to wrap up on Thursday, July 7.

As of Friday, July 1, attendance at the Rainbow Gathering was estimated to be 6,050, according to Hilary Markin, public information officer for the National Rainbow Incident Management Team.

As attendance increases, so have enforcement actions, which were at 328 as of Friday, said Markin.

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“This number includes incident reports, written warnings, violation notices and arrests,” Markin said.

As of Monday, June 27, there were an estimated 2,500 attendees at the Gathering and there had been 91 enforcement actions that covered issues such as damages to natural resources, inoperable equipment, narcotics possession or distribution, aggravated assault on a peace officer, felon in possession of a firearm, and resisting or evading an officer.

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By Wednesday, June 29, that number grew to 191, as reported by the Denver Post.

Markin expects attendance to peak on the Fourth of July.

Shelby Reardon is the assistant editor at the Steamboat Pilot & Today. To reach her, call 970-871-4253, email sreardon@SteamboatPilot.com or follow her on Twitter @ByShelbyReardon.