So, who’s going to Area 51 in September?
What started as a joke on Facebook has turned into some kind of actual movement, with nearly 2 million people (1.9 million at the time of this posting) pledging to converge out in the Nevada desert on September 20, 2019, at the very witching hour of 3:00 a.m.
Their goal? To “storm” Area 51, and I guess see what’s in there. Aliens? Dimensional portals? Undisclosed experimental crafts? It’s all turned into a bit of a meme, but questions remain about how many people will actually show up, and what might happen if they do.
The gathering will allegedly begin at the Area 51 Alien Center in Amargosa Valley (“The brains were great,” reads one review over at Trip Advisor), and I’ve seen more than a few people online talking about showing up just for what’ll probably become an impromptu “UFO” festival.
The original creator of the Facebook event, Matty Roberts, has said as much: According to EDM.com, he doesn’t want anyone to get hurt actually storming an Air Force base, and has suggested turning the event into an electronic dance music festival, instead.
The U.S. government is a little wary of the massive amount pledging to show up, though, and they’re not taking any chances. Last week, U.S. Air Force spokeswoman Laura McAndrews shared a simple warning:
“[Area 51] is an open training range for the US Air Force, and we would discourage anyone from trying to come into the area where we train American armed forces…”
“The US Air Force always stands ready to protect America and its assets,” she continued.
Warm words from the USAF.
The Area 51 Alien Center, where the event is supposed to begin, is essentially a tourist destination, a combination gift shop and diner. And there are more than a few other tourist shops along the way. They, as well as nearby hotels, are getting ready for the influx of people as best as they can.