Storm Area 51 Event Is This Week

Well, here we are, the great raid on Area 51 is supposed to take place this Friday. But will it? The best answer to that is both YES and NO.

YES, something is going to happen this week in association with UFOs and Area 51, but NO, it's probably not going to be a bunch of people charging toward the gate of the Air Force Base in an all out naruto run. And that's a good thing.

Here's what IS going down this weekend. There will be what is shaping up to be a fun and informative Storm Area 51 Basecamp gathering at the Alien Research Center on the Extraterrestrial Highway in Hiko, Nevada. In addition to food trucks, the typical portable facilities and some live music, this event will also have several notable speakers making presentations on all things alien. There will even be a special screening of the Netflix documentary, Bob Lazar: Area 51 & Flying Saucers, complete with cast members making personal appearances. This event is geared more for the serious students of the subject who want to get together, have some fun, compare notes, meet like-minded people, and learn some new information. This is not simply a rave in the desert.

The rave is going on over in Las Vegas. This one, the Area 51 Celebration, is more party and less alien. Unless you count the Area 51 beers that the Bud Light people brewed up for the occasion.

The way that this came about is one of those things born of the internet. One Mr. Matty Roberts created a Facebook event calling on people to Storm Area 51. It caught on. It caught on big time. In fact it caught on so big that Matty Roberts was afraid people would actually try to storm the Air Force Base. Not wanting anyone to get hurt, he and Brock Daily, co-host of his Facebook event, created Alienstock, a big party in the desert.

This was originally going to be centered around the Little A'Le'Inn in Rachel, Nevada. Management from the Little A'Le'Inn was on-board and plans were laid. Parking permits were issued in anticipation of the crowd to come. Bands were booked. Facilities were procured. Then things got weird. Roberts and Daily became uncomfortable with the information they were getting from the venue and eventually parted ways with that location. This was actually a relief to the other hundred or so residents of Rachel, Nevada, who were somewhat apprehensive of what might be headed their way. With the Little A'Le'Inn location out, the Alienstock organizers started looking for a new location and they found one in the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center.

The Area 51 Celebration in Las Vegas is scheduled for Thursday night, September 19th, and about 8,000 people are expected to attend the free event. The venue is capable of handling crowds up to 12,000 so the necessary infrastructure is there and it should be a really good time.

If everything goes as planned this is probably the best possible outcomes from what started as Facebook joke. Those who are serious about ufology can go to the event at the Alien Research Center, and those looking for another excuse to have a good time can do so in downtown Las Vegas.

Hopefully no one will actually try to storm Area 51. We're all curious about what's inside, but don't do that.