The final episode of “Gilmore Girls” aired almost 20 years ago, but the beloved show hasn’t wavered in popularity. If anything, it’s only become more popular, said John Cabrera, who played Brian Fuller on the series.
“We all remember being recognized in public every once in a while when we were on the show, and we knew that there was like a fandom around the show, but it felt more like a cult fandom,” he said.
That changed, Cabrera said, when Netflix acquired “Gilmore Girls” in 2014. The streaming platform introduced a new generation to Lorelai and Rory Gilmore: a single mom and daughter living in the quaint, fictional New England town of Stars Hallow, Connecticut. (The television series ran for seven seasons.) Two years later, Netflix released the four-episode sequel, “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.”
The multi-generational cast of “Gilmore Girls” helped create a self-perpetuating fanbase. Moms who watched the show during its original run are now introducing it to their children.
“So many fans who relate to Lorelei that have been watching the show since they were in high school or college all say the same thing,” Cabrera said, “that they used to be a Rory fan. They used to relate to Rory because they were going through her journey, and now they relate to Lorelai because they’re a young mother.”
Old and new fans will have a chance to celebrate all things “Gilmore Girls” when the annual Smells Like Snow Coffee Festival returns to downtown Akron on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Hosted by Downtown Akron Partnership, the festival’s title is a nod to Lorelai’s ability to smell when it’s going to snow and the two main characters’ enduring love of coffee.
Cabrera will be in town for the festival, along with castmate Emily Kuroda, who played Mrs. Kim, and Valerie Campbell, who worked as a costumer on the original series and the Netflix revival.
Samples brews from 16 local coffee vendors
Inspired by the cozy, coffee-fueled world of “Gilmore Girls,” the Smells Like Snow Coffee Festival will feature:
- A celebrity brunch at Jilly’s Music Room (111 N. Main St.), followed by a meet-and-greet at Electric Frankenstein (209 S. Main St.), both featuring Cabrera, Kuroda and Campbell
- A book signing with Campbell at Ilić Café (161 S. Main St.)
- A town hall re-enactment by actors from the Ohio Shakespeare Festival (The TV show was famous for its local “governmental” gatherings, which often devolved into delightful chaos.)
- A Luke Alike Contest for locals with a penchant for baseball caps and flannel shirts. (Actor Scott Patterson played Luke Danes, the grumpy but loveable owner of the local diner who is a constant in Rory and Lorelai’s life.)
- “Gilmore Girls” trivia hosted by Cabrera at Barley House (222 S. Main St.)
- “Ask Mrs. Kim,” a special event at The Nightlight (30 N. High St.) where Kuroda will channel her “Gilmore Girls” character
Other festivities include a dance-a-thon, a Bop It! competition, coffee mug decorating and town troubadours — all nods to moments from the show. (Check out the full schedule.)
And, of course, there will be coffee, coffee, coffee. Sixteen local vendors will be onsite, including Sappho and Her Beans, Bereka Coffee, Artisan Coffee and Cool Coffee Co.
“That show just seems to have a lot of legs,” said Dominic Caruso, communications director for Downtown Akron Partnership. “The people who are fans of it really love it.”
About 5,000 people attended last year’s festival, Caruso said.
New art exhibit highlights pieces from ‘Gilmore Girls’ creatives
Actress Keiko Agena, who played Rory’s best friend, Lane Kim, won’t be in Akron for Saturday’s festival, but her artwork will. Pieces by Agena, Cabrera and Campbell will be on view at Art x Love’s downtown gallery from Friday through Nov. 14.
Agena began drawing seriously as an adult. She primarily uses India ink and graphite to create detailed, patterned drawings. She sees a connection between her work as an actor and an artist.
“My philosophy is that when we are artistic, it’s the artist trying to answer a question that they’re asking of themselves, whether it’s through acting or writing or art,” Agena said. “So when I draw, I’m trying to figure something out as well through my drawing. Then by the end of it, I will learn something about myself that I didn’t know before I started.”
Campbell started doing sketches of scenes from “Gilmore Girls” on social media several years ago. In 2022, she wrote, illustrated and self-published a book, “The Story and Recipes of Valerie’s Cat Eye sCream.” In recent years, she’s gained an online following for sharing behind-the-scenes stories about “Gilmore Girls” and answering questions from fans.
Fans of ‘Gilmore Girls’ keep show alive
Campbell attended the first Gilmore Girls Fan Fest in 2016 in Washington Depot, Connecticut, the real town that inspired Stars Hollow. She’s attended every festival since then. Many of the show’s fans, Campbell said, are mothers and daughters.
“The fans are the only reason the show is existing in any way, shape or form,” Campbell said. “They’re also like the loveliest fan group…. There’s not a mean bone in their body, and they’re all just super supportive.”
Agena attributes the enduring success of the show to the strong relationships between the characters.
“I think part of the reason why people come back to the show is that [at] the core of the show are people who disagree,” Agena said, “sometimes very strongly — but [still] deeply love each other.”
