By Tim Binnall

Flat Earth enthusiasts from around the, in their eyes, questionably-shaped globe are descending upon Aurora, Colorado this weekend for a massive gathering devoted to the controversial conspiracy theory. The 2nd annual Flat Earth International Conference comes on the heels of a wildly successful inaugural event held last November in North Carolina as well as subsequent similar confabs in Canada and England earlier this year.

Fears that the sequel would pale in comparison to the first event appear to be unfounded as the festivities in Aurora are reportedly expected to draw more than 800 people. This would be a significant increase in attendance compared to last year's event which sold a still-impressive 525 tickets. As is the case with most paranormal or conspiracy-themed conventions, one of the big allures of the gathering is that 'fellow travelers' can share their ideas without the fear of being ridiculed.

Alongside an array of speakers discussing their research as well as, no doubt, vendors selling all manner of Flat Earth swag, one of the highlights of the conference looks to be an appearance by "Mad" Mike Hughes, who launched himself in a homemade rocket back in March in an attempt to prove that the Earth is not round. The stunt transformed the daredevil into something of a celebrity in the Flat Earth community and fans of the daredevil will be able to see the steam-powered craft he created for his headline-making mission.