I've been thinking about putting together a UFO Party in probably late-May, or whenever the weather is suitable, in Fairbanks, AK. There might be one going on down in Wasilla, AK as well.
What is a UFO Party?
A UFO Party is similar to a Sky Watch Party or a Star Party, in that you can watch the sky for various celestial bodies, but they tend to be situated in view of an area with recent UFO activity.
Goals of a UFO Party
Located celestial bodies in the sky
Watch celestial events (meteor shower, comet, etc)
Have discussions about space, UFOs, encounters, etc
Watch for UFOs with an attempt to photograph or capture video of the event
Try out other tech to attempt detection, communication, or other with UFO (radio, parabolic ear, etc)
Running a UFO Party
You want to find a location that is away from light pollution, but isn't terribly far away. In Alaska, this is pretty easy to find since it doesn't take much to get out of town. Key features of a good location would be: area to park, area to set up equipment like telescopes and camp chairs, canopy-free viewing area, restroom, and in view of recent area of UFO sightings. You should consider campsites if they provide ample viewing space.
Track local UFO sightings. You can check MUFON and NUFORC for recently reported UFO sightings. Get out there and talk to people about sightings. The goal is to find a group of sightings in an area so you can find a good viewing spot.
Make a list of celestial bodies in the sky and celestial events. This will give people some things to look for during the UFO Party.
Require people to keep the lights low. You might want to consider setting up an enclosed canopy for regular light or to use as a "break room". Astronomy.com suggests covering the lens of flashlights with red cellophane or using red flashlights. You might want to have a few camp lanterns placed around the area for general light, but keep it very restricted. LEDs cause a lot of light pollution.
UFO Party Etiquette. Typically there is no alcohol, no kids, no pets, low noise, and low light. It's not an event to get loaded and party til you drop. Absolutely encourage people to have discussions, share tech, and talk about their goals. Don't be afraid to have snacks and coffee. People can totally have MP3 players or, if you're in range, radio (I suggest listening to Coast to Coast AM) or wifi-connected players.
Tell people to prepare for the worst weather. This might be rain or just low temperatures. They might want to bring a blanket or have an extra sweatshirt in their vehicle that they can easily retrieve.
Have a plan if you do capture something on video, photo, radio, etc. What will you do with your collected data? You can always report your findings to MUFON or NUFORC. These are long-time groups that have been collecting and investigating UFO sightings. You can absolutely request to remain publicly anonymous; do expect one of their investigators to contact you for an interview.
UFO Parties in Media
Have their been UFO Parties in the media? Yes. I can think of two right off the top of my head.
"E.B.E" X-Files, s01e017 - Mulder runs through the woods and finds a group of people at a UFO party. This is a very brief showing of a UFO party. This is also the first time we meet the Lone Gunmen in the series.
Close Encounters of The Third Kind - After Roy (Richard Dreyfuss) has his encounter in his truck he chases the UFOs. He stops when he almost hits the little boy in the road. The group of people and that little boy happen to be at a UFO party - though it's quite informal. It's also not the best location for a UFO party.
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