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| The Area 51 ‘Raid’ Is Today. Here’s How It Spun Out of Control. | The Area 51 ‘Raid’ Is Today. Here’s How It Spun Out of Control. |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A wildly popular Facebook joke about “storming” Area 51 inspired a trio of parties in Nevada, including one event on Thursday in Las Vegas that featured alien-themed cans of Bud Light. | A wildly popular Facebook joke about “storming” Area 51 inspired a trio of parties in Nevada, including one event on Thursday in Las Vegas that featured alien-themed cans of Bud Light. |
| If they’re watching, the aliens probably have a few questions for humanity. You might, too, so here’s a closer look at what’s happening. | If they’re watching, the aliens probably have a few questions for humanity. You might, too, so here’s a closer look at what’s happening. |
| There’s not much to it: In late June, Matty Roberts, a college student, created an event on Facebook called “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us.” | There’s not much to it: In late June, Matty Roberts, a college student, created an event on Facebook called “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us.” |
| The event, scheduled for Friday, was meant as a joke about making a run on the mysterious and well-protected military test site in southern Nevada, fabled to be dedicated to the research of real, honest-to-goodness alien spacecraft. | The event, scheduled for Friday, was meant as a joke about making a run on the mysterious and well-protected military test site in southern Nevada, fabled to be dedicated to the research of real, honest-to-goodness alien spacecraft. |
| The joke caught fire. | The joke caught fire. |
| Within three weeks, more than a million people marked themselves down as planning to attend. (By the day of the event, the number had reached 2.1 million.) Even the Air Force noticed: In July, a spokeswoman told The New York Times that “any attempt to illegally access military installations or military training areas is dangerous.” | Within three weeks, more than a million people marked themselves down as planning to attend. (By the day of the event, the number had reached 2.1 million.) Even the Air Force noticed: In July, a spokeswoman told The New York Times that “any attempt to illegally access military installations or military training areas is dangerous.” |
| Concerned that some might take the call to action seriously and be arrested or hurt, Mr. Roberts decided to plan a sizable “Alienstock” music festival nearby as an alternative, according to reports, teaming up with Brock Daily, a co-host of the Facebook event, and Connie West, of the Little A’Le’Inn, in rural Rachel, Nev., which is home to fewer than 100 residents. | Concerned that some might take the call to action seriously and be arrested or hurt, Mr. Roberts decided to plan a sizable “Alienstock” music festival nearby as an alternative, according to reports, teaming up with Brock Daily, a co-host of the Facebook event, and Connie West, of the Little A’Le’Inn, in rural Rachel, Nev., which is home to fewer than 100 residents. |
| Mr. Roberts and Mr. Daily parted ways this week with Ms. West, according to Frank DiMaggio, an event planner who worked with the two men on an alternative party that happened in Las Vegas on Thursday. | Mr. Roberts and Mr. Daily parted ways this week with Ms. West, according to Frank DiMaggio, an event planner who worked with the two men on an alternative party that happened in Las Vegas on Thursday. |
| Attendance at the Rachel event has suffered as a result, Ms. West said in a Thursday interview with KTNV, a local ABC affiliate. | Attendance at the Rachel event has suffered as a result, Ms. West said in a Thursday interview with KTNV, a local ABC affiliate. |
| “We’ve lost a good two-thirds of our campsites due to all the confusion and upset,” she said. | “We’ve lost a good two-thirds of our campsites due to all the confusion and upset,” she said. |
| In a statement, the three men said that they had pulled out of Ms. West’s event for fear that it would be “FYREFEST 2.0,” a rerun of a famously hyped party in 2017 that failed spectacularly. | In a statement, the three men said that they had pulled out of Ms. West’s event for fear that it would be “FYREFEST 2.0,” a rerun of a famously hyped party in 2017 that failed spectacularly. |
| Instead, they directed their followers on Facebook and elsewhere to an event held on Thursday, hosted by the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center and sponsored by Bud Light, which sold limited-edition alien-themed beer. The event was well-attended, according to footage posted online by KVVU, a local Fox affiliate. | Instead, they directed their followers on Facebook and elsewhere to an event held on Thursday, hosted by the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center and sponsored by Bud Light, which sold limited-edition alien-themed beer. The event was well-attended, according to footage posted online by KVVU, a local Fox affiliate. |
| It was a relatively easy move for Mr. Roberts and Mr. Daily because the Las Vegas event was already in the works as a sort of pregame to the bigger desert party, according to Mr. DiMaggio. | It was a relatively easy move for Mr. Roberts and Mr. Daily because the Las Vegas event was already in the works as a sort of pregame to the bigger desert party, according to Mr. DiMaggio. |
| “It was exactly what they wanted to happen out in the desert, but all the infrastructure’s there,” he said. | “It was exactly what they wanted to happen out in the desert, but all the infrastructure’s there,” he said. |
| According to Mr. DiMaggio, the Rachel event had been plagued by a lack of infrastructure, poor planning and secrecy, which had led to concerns among Mr. Roberts and Mr. Daily. | According to Mr. DiMaggio, the Rachel event had been plagued by a lack of infrastructure, poor planning and secrecy, which had led to concerns among Mr. Roberts and Mr. Daily. |
| “We foresee a possible humanitarian disaster in the works, and we can’t participate in any capacity at this point,” the three said of the festival in Rachel in a statement. | “We foresee a possible humanitarian disaster in the works, and we can’t participate in any capacity at this point,” the three said of the festival in Rachel in a statement. |
| Some of those living in the area were glad to hear that the men were directing visitors elsewhere, according to Joerg Arnu, one of the fewer than 100 Rachel residents. “We are very, very relieved,” he said. | Some of those living in the area were glad to hear that the men were directing visitors elsewhere, according to Joerg Arnu, one of the fewer than 100 Rachel residents. “We are very, very relieved,” he said. |
| Mr. Arnu accused Ms. West of keeping residents in the dark about the event, while Mr. DiMaggio said she did the same to her fellow organizers. | Mr. Arnu accused Ms. West of keeping residents in the dark about the event, while Mr. DiMaggio said she did the same to her fellow organizers. |
| Ms. West did not respond to multiple requests for comment, but said in the KTNV interview on Thursday that she was pleased with the early showing for the weekend event. | Ms. West did not respond to multiple requests for comment, but said in the KTNV interview on Thursday that she was pleased with the early showing for the weekend event. |
| “I think I’m on my highest high I’ve ever been in my entire life,” she said. About 250 campsites had been paid for in advance, she said. | “I think I’m on my highest high I’ve ever been in my entire life,” she said. About 250 campsites had been paid for in advance, she said. |
| While the Rachel event was in the works, another group of organizers was planning a gathering scheduled for Friday, Sept. 20, and Saturday, Sept. 21, in nearby Hiko, home to the Alien Research Center, a gift shop. | While the Rachel event was in the works, another group of organizers was planning a gathering scheduled for Friday, Sept. 20, and Saturday, Sept. 21, in nearby Hiko, home to the Alien Research Center, a gift shop. |
| While that event, the Storm Area 51 Basecamp, is slated to feature food, drink and music, it also includes a lineup of speakers intended to appeal to those interested in aliens and the secretive military base. | While that event, the Storm Area 51 Basecamp, is slated to feature food, drink and music, it also includes a lineup of speakers intended to appeal to those interested in aliens and the secretive military base. |
| “We’re focusing on the true believers, we’re not looking for a rave in the desert,” said Keith Wright, managing partner of Production Specialists of Las Vegas, an events company, and one of the organizers of the Basecamp event. | “We’re focusing on the true believers, we’re not looking for a rave in the desert,” said Keith Wright, managing partner of Production Specialists of Las Vegas, an events company, and one of the organizers of the Basecamp event. |
| The speakers include Jeremy Corbell, the director of a movie on Netflix about Bob Lazar, who says he reverse-engineered alien spaceships at Area 51 — both of whom reportedly served as inspiration for Mr. Roberts’s Facebook post. | The speakers include Jeremy Corbell, the director of a movie on Netflix about Bob Lazar, who says he reverse-engineered alien spaceships at Area 51 — both of whom reportedly served as inspiration for Mr. Roberts’s Facebook post. |
| In an interview, Mr. DiMaggio gave his blessing to the Hiko event and said that Mr. Roberts was considering checking it out: “They’re cool people and they’ve got a killer event,” he said. | In an interview, Mr. DiMaggio gave his blessing to the Hiko event and said that Mr. Roberts was considering checking it out: “They’re cool people and they’ve got a killer event,” he said. |
| Mr. Wright said he and the other organizers were spending about $200,000 of their own money and planned to bring myriad amenities into the desert, including about 80 portable bathrooms, generators, food trucks, security and emergency services, and a semi truck filled with bottled water. | Mr. Wright said he and the other organizers were spending about $200,000 of their own money and planned to bring myriad amenities into the desert, including about 80 portable bathrooms, generators, food trucks, security and emergency services, and a semi truck filled with bottled water. |
| Mr. Wright said that he hoped to host no more than 5,000 people at the event in Hiko, which he also said was on the way to both Rachel and Area 51. | Mr. Wright said that he hoped to host no more than 5,000 people at the event in Hiko, which he also said was on the way to both Rachel and Area 51. |
| “From everything that we’re being told, the people are coming,” he said. “All we have to do is capture them.” | “From everything that we’re being told, the people are coming,” he said. “All we have to do is capture them.” |