It appears that whatever secrets are hidden behind the gates of Area 51, or the Nevada Test and Training Range, will remain hidden for now, as the thousands of people who were expected to storm the military installation in the desert failed to materialize.
For several days, a steady stream of curious sightseers, conspiracy theorists and media made their way to the enigmatic military installation.
What was billed as a civilian raid on the base, the visits were the anticlimactic conclusion to the “Storm Area 51” internet joke, started by a California college student from Bakersfield.
And while thousands made their way to the gates, according to authorities, only a small handful of people were detained for trying to get inside.
For Andrew Hastings, the trek from Orange, California was a bit of a letdown.
“It’s a little disappointing,” he said. “I was hoping more people would be here. I kind of wanted to storm the gates if more people were there, but I would say it’s a little underwhelming.”
It was also underwhelming for the promoters of the Area 51 Basecamp, a music festival 45 minutes down the road. They pulled the plug after the first day, citing low attendance.
That low attendance may, in part, be due to concerns over logistics, like security and access to medical services that were voiced by many prior to the event.
But, in Rachel, a tiny town just outside the base, the scene was a little different. Organizers with the Alienstock Festival estimate about 8,000 to 10,000 people came through the town over the course of the event.
While most spent at least a few minutes at the base gates, others spent the weekend listening to electronic dance music or rock, played on two different stages. Many festival-goers camped in the desert under the stars; they wore costumes; debated conspiracy theories...and wore tin foil hats.
“Yeah, we’ve never really [come] to Nevada and been in the desert,” said Josh Gilley of Utah. “So, this was the first time, and we were just camping last night, enjoying each other's company in the middle of nowhere. It’s great.”
For Connie West, the event’s organizer, she says she’s happy her event went off without incident, despite the financial costs of organizing the festival.
"I knew I wasn’t going to recoup my money,” she said. “You see the happy people around here. That’s all that matters to me.”
When asked if she plans to make the festival an annual event, West simply smiled and said, “Here’s to 2020.”
