Now, Roberts is trying to draw people instead to Alienstock, a three-day music festival in Rachel. West said she gained permission from local property owners to fence off 30 acres (12 hectares) for festival camping and parking, and she made arrangements to bring in a water truck plus hire security personnel and paramedics.
A website is selling Alienstock parking and campsite permits but does not list any performers. Roberts did not respond to requests for comment, but locals have plenty to say.
“There’s a group of us concerned residents that really do not want this even to happen,” said Joerg Arnu, who runs websites on the history of Rachel and Area 51. “It’s going to destroy Rachel as a beautiful small town in the desert.”
Arnu called on authorities to shut down the two-lane road that leads into town to keep people away during that time.
Townspeople worry, he said, that visitors will include “a fair number of crooks” and that crowds will damage property.
“The residents are going to do whatever it takes, and I’ll leave it at that, to protect their properties,” Arnu added. “We hope it doesn’t come to a confrontation, but if it does it has a very high potential to get ugly.”