Do you believe in aliens? You'll want to check out Contact in the Desert, the planet's premiere UFO convention. Taking place at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, Contact in the Desert promises a serious, academic exploration of the UFO phenomenon. Topics include UFO technology, crop circles, extraterrestrial communication and evolution, and whether ancient monuments were created by advanced civilizations. Giorgio A. Tsoukalos, of TV's Ancient Aliens, will be headlining the three-day event. Plus, the conference is scheduled to coincide with the Perseid meteor shower, in which meteors will rain in the sky. So leave your doubt at the door and BYOT: Bring Your Own Telescope.

Contact in the Desert, August 9-11, tickets $225, Joshua Tree Retreat Center, 59700 29 Palms Highway, Joshua Tree, https://www.contactinthedesert.net/tickets/.

Fri., Aug. 9; Sat., Aug. 10; Sun., Aug. 11, 2013

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