Thousands of believers to gather for world's largest UFO convention

FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. – Thousands of UFO enthusiasts will gather on American Indian land in Arizona this week but not in hopes of a mass abduction.

Believers, skeptics, scientists and media personalities come together each year for the International UFO Congress Convention and Film Festival, the largest of its kind, according to the event’s organizers.

The convention kicks off Wednesday morning at the We-Ko-Pa Resort and Convention Center in the Yawapai Nation, located in the Scottsdale area. This year marks the 24th annual incarnation of this particular convention. It runs until Sunday afternoon.

Each morning of the event, licensed therapists will host so-called experiencer sessions, wherein people who claim to have spotted UFOs or had direct contact with them convene together. These gatherings are the only part of the convention that are off-limits to media members.