UFO Fest fills Roswell hotels

ROSWELL, N.M., June 29 (UPI) -- The upcoming UFO Festival in Roswell, N.M., has caused hotels and RV parks in the area to fill to capacity weeks in advance.

The festival, which is expected to double the population of the city of about 45,000 during its duration, marks the 60th anniversary of the supposed Roswell incident, when an alleged flying saucer crashed in the city, the Roswell Daily Record reported Friday.

Pat Seminatore, communications coordinator for the Chamber of Commerce said she is referring people seeking lodging to the chamber's Web site and the Chambers of Commerce in the nearby New Mexico cities of Artesia, Ruidoso and Carlsbad, the newspaper said. She said many locals are also renting out rooms in their homes to festival-goers.

"I think the people who came last year, or during the 50th anniversary, have already made their reservations way in advance," Seminatore said.

Marv Davis, owner of Roswell's Western Inn, said the July 4-8 festival dates were booked solid two weeks ago.

"It's getting more and more people every year," Davis said of the festival. "There are more people calling in that are being turned away. I don't know what they're going to do."