Everyone probably remembers the countless jokes and pranks that emerged over the past few months about a supposed invasion of Area 51, the United States military base surrounded by endless rumors about aliens inside. The meme originated with a humorous Facebook event called Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All Of Us. However, it reached proportions its creator never imagined.
Matty Roberts was shocked to see how far his joke had spread, eventually reaching 2 million people claiming they would attend the event page. He kept it online just to see where it would go, but Facebook removed it, saying it violated the “community guidelines.” Still, nothing prepared Matty for the day the FBI came to his home to see whether he really had terrorist intentions.
When I heard my mother say, “Matty, come here, the FBI is here,” I got scared, but they were super nice to me. They just wanted to make sure I was not a terrorist making homemade bombs in my basement.
The event was eventually restored on Facebook, with the social network saying it had been deleted by mistake.
Matty intends to have more fun with the idea of an Area 51 invasion by creating a festival called Alienstock, which will last three days. The website says it will take place from September 20 to 22 in Rachel, Nevada. The town was chosen because it is the “closest” one to the American military base.
We want to host a festival in Rachel, NV, the closest town to Area 51. They can't stop us from gathering and celebrating aliens.
The festival will feature food, live music, a camping experience, and plenty of discussions about extraterrestrial life for anyone interested in attending.
Rachel is an extremely isolated rural town, without cell service or common services. Matty also warns attendees to be prepared for extreme weather changes because the town is located in a desert. Despite all these conditions, between 5,000 and 30,000 people are expected to attend the event.
