BY: Allison Singleterry
What originally started as a joke has now turned into multiple events.
In June of this year, Matty Roberts created a Facebook event called “Storm Area 51 – They can’t stop all of us” set for Sept. 20. Though this started as a joke, it has now caught the attention of a lot of people. Because of the attention this event received, there are now two million people who have responded and said they are going. The buzz around this one event has gotten so large that now there are events being held that have branched off of the original Area 51 raiding event. One event in particular is a festival called Alien Stock.
Alien Stock is a festival that will be held in the closest town to Area 51 called Rachel, Nevada where they will be “celebrating aliens.” This festival includes live music, food, and a camping experience that starts on the day of the raiding and ends on Sept. 22. The lineup for the festival has not yet been released on the website.
There is no cost for attendance, but there is a parking fee that varies depending on the vehicle. The event staff also asks for donations that will go toward water, portable toilets, stages and music, staff, emergency services, and security. For the safety of everyone attending, they ask that there are no animals unless they are service animals. They have also banned outside alcoholic drinks, weapons, and drones.
Rachel, Nevada is starting to raise concerns about the large crowd that is coming to invade the small town. According to The Atlantic, nearby counties issued a state of emergency. There are also local, state, and federal agencies involved to try and prepare for Sept. 20.