Columbia commissions reject mass gathering in Rainier

LONGVIEW, Wash. — Columbia County commissioners have denied a permit for the gathering of more than 1,000 people at Gregory Field in rural Rainier.

The Daily News Online reports the commissioners have rejected the event planned for next week, partly because online advertisements conflicted with the organizers’ permit application.

The event’s organizers, Danny Petrella of Portland and Frank Upham of Milwaukie, Oregon, applied for an outdoor mass-gathering permit to have less than 1,200 people attend a wedding celebration, dubbed the Field of Dreams Festival.

The event’s Facebook page shows that 1,400 people are attending, and their Brown Paper Tickets events page advertises live performances, a giant human hamster ball, a slip-n-side, live body painting among other attractions.

The organizers say they plan to party at a different, undisclosed location.

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