DENVER -- Hunter S. Thompson's family canceled plans for a public gathering this weekend to commemorate the life of the writer who committed suicide on Feb. 20, a spokesman said Tuesday.

Douglas Brinkley said Thompson's family will have a private gathering of about 100 friends and relatives at an undisclosed location. A larger public event will be held later, probably in the summer, he said.

"The family decided they were just getting too many requests from all over," Brinkley said. The private event will be "hugs and talks and commemoration," he said.

The family has been discussing ways to honor Thompson's wish that his ashes be blasted from a cannon, but that will not happen this weekend, Brinkley said.

Anyone wishing to provide the cannon is asked to write a 100-word essay and mail it to the Aspen Daily News. Also include a photograph of the cannon (no conceptual drawings), give an estimate of how far it fires, when it was last used and if any injuries occurred. The person writing must own the cannon or have legal access to it.

Cannons with historic value or Kentucky origins will be awarded extra points, the paper said. The paper will pass the entries on to the family. The Daily News say the essays should be no longer than 100 words and should only be sent through snail mail. No e-mails, faxes or phone calls allowed.

Essays can be sent to Aspen Daily News, 517 E. Hopkins Ave., Aspen, CO 81611 by March 13.

The "winning" cannon will be used to fire Thompson's cremated remains into the sky over his home at Owl Farm. The winner of the contest will also have to bring the cannon to Aspen at his or her own expense.

Thompson, 67, shot himself in the head at his Aspen-area home. His wife, Anita, and son, Juan, have said he was not despondent and probably wanted to control the time and circumstances of his death and to die at what he felt was a high point in his life.