Area 51 — Storm Area 51 (2019) and the Internet Age
Area 51 — Storm Area 51 (2019) and the Internet Age
The Event
On June 27, 2019, a Facebook event titled "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us"*** was created by Matty Roberts, a college student from Bakersfield, California, as what he described as a joke. The premise: if enough people showed up to Area 51 simultaneously and "naruto ran" (a running style from the anime series Naruto, arms swept back) at the gates, they could overwhelm security and "see them aliens."
Within weeks, the event had attracted over 1.7 million RSVPs*** and nearly 1.5 million more expressing interest. It became the most widely discussed Facebook event in the platform's history and a global media phenomenon.
Government and Military Response
The U.S. Air Force responded with unusual public directness:
- Spokeswoman Laura McAndrews stated: "[Area 51] is an open training range for the U.S. Air Force, and we would discourage anyone from trying to come into the area where we train American armed forces. The U.S. Air Force always stands ready to protect America and its assets."***
- The warning was understood by observers to be legally serious despite its restrained language
- Military security was reportedly heightened around the facility in the weeks before the September 20, 2019 date
What Actually Happened
On September 20, 2019, between 1,500 and 3,000 people gathered in the Rachel, Nevada area. Far fewer than the 1.7 million who RSVPed appeared. The actual base approach was minimal:
- A small group approached the main gate at dawn and were stopped and photographed by security personnel
- Two Dutch tourists were briefly detained and released after paying a small fine
- The event was overwhelmingly peaceful and carnival-like rather than confrontational
Two concurrent festivals were organized: Alienstock*** in Rachel, Nevada (eventually relocated to Las Vegas due to lack of infrastructure) and a paid event in Hiko, Nevada. The events drew thousands of costumed participants, alien-themed merchandise, food vendors, and media from around the world.
Cultural Significance
Storm Area 51 was simultaneously absurd, funny, and historically significant:
- It demonstrated that Area 51 had become so embedded in global popular culture that a joke Facebook event could mobilize millions of people across international borders
- It forced the Air Force into a public statement about the facility that — in its very reticence — confirmed the facility's continued sensitive status
- It created the largest single gathering of Area 51 enthusiasts in history, albeit mostly in a parking lot in Rachel, Nevada
- It generated an estimated $20–30 million in economic activity for Lincoln County, Nevada
The Internet Culture of Area 51
Storm Area 51 reflected a broader pattern of Area 51 as an internet culture phenomenon. The facility's combination of confirmed secrecy, alien mythology, institutional inaccessibility, and cultural familiarity makes it ideal internet content:
- Meme format: Area 51 = aliens = government hiding something = relatable distrust of authority
- Gaming references: Numerous video games feature Area 51 as a setting
- Music: Multiple songs reference Area 51 as a symbol of hidden truth
- Film and television: Area 51 appears in dozens of productions
Area 51 is the most culturally recognizable classified military installation in the history of any government worldwide.
