Event Organizer Turns Area 51 Raid Into "Alienstock" Music Festival

Storm Area 51, the viral satirical Facebook event that was undoubtedly one of the most popular memes of the summer, is now "Alienstock."

While the world may have collectively moved on from the Storm Area 51 meme, the creators of the original Facebook event still have 2 million people who had clicked "interested" or "attending" to their satirical raid, which, should it actually happen, will almost certainly lead to arrests and perhaps fatalities. Facing this dilemma, organizer Matty Roberts instead elected to create a musical festival in Rachel, Nevada, the closest town to Area 51.

Speaking to USA Today, fellow organizer Brock Daily said, "People believe in aliens and they obviously want to know what's going on in there [Area 51]. So I believe this is the safest option to display our unified curiosity."

The event, to take place between September 20th and 22nd, does not yet have any acts announced and will take up half of the small town of Rachel. While the organizers of the festival claim Rachel is on board with the event, the town's website tells a different story.

"A dubious group claiming a connection to chaotic events like Burning Man and the Las Vegas Electric Music Festival has taken over the Rachel part of this event," the site reads. "They threaten to 'take over Rachel' and claim that the residents are "on board". The residents were not asked and are not on board and will certainly not allow their town to be taken over." Furthermore, the website notes, "Other than the Little A'Le'Inn, a small bar/restaurant/motel, there are no services in Rachel. There is no gas and no store." The nearest gas station to Rachel is in another town 50 miles away.

The Alienstock website pledges that it will work to "leave this place cleaner than we found it!" It also notes that there will be "little to no-service out here in the desert."

Suffice to say, it will be interesting to see how a large-scale music festival with no announced acts that's happening in an area of the country with no service or gas and whose residents appear opposed to the whole thing will play out.