Clear your schedule, charge your phone for approximately 400 photos, and start practicing your fastest talking voice. A Weekend in Starz Hollow is bringing the world of Gilmore Girls to downtown Delaware on November 13-14, with more than 40 local businesses transforming into Stars Hollow favorites and two members of Hep Alien making an appearance. Coffee consumption over the weekend is, naturally, encouraged.
Last year’s event lasted five hours and drew around 7,000 people, according to organizers at Late Night Delaware, the local nonprofit behind the festivities. This year, they’re stretching the fun across two days and expecting between 10,000 and 15,000 visitors. That’s a lot of people to fit into Luke’s Diner, but we believe in this town.
Downtown Delaware Is Getting The Stars Hollow Treatment
More than 40 downtown businesses are stepping into roles familiar to any fan: Luke’s Diner, Doose’s Market, Miss Patty’s Dance Studio, Kim’s Antiques, and the Dragonfly Inn. Basically, bring your appetite, your shopping bag, and your strongest opinions about whether Dean, Jess, or Logan was right for Rory. (Just kidding, unless you’re also Team Jess, we’ll agree to disagree)
The schedule includes Kirk’s Egg Hunt scattered around downtown, a Knit-a-thon at Delaware Pottery Studio (that Christopher won’t ruin), fast-talking competitions at Bowerbird, and Emily Gilmore look-alikes at Ability Chiropractic. Yes, Emily Gilmore look-alikes. Somewhere, a maid just quit.
On Saturday, West Winter Street will host a vendor market from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by a Luke look-alike contest at the downtown gazebo at 5 p.m. Flannel? Check. Backward baseball cap? Essential. Ability to tolerate Lorelai’s coffee order? We’ll leave that to the judges.
Then, for the 21-and-over crowd, Miss Patty’s after-party kicks off at 10 p.m. at Oak & Brazen. Just remember: what happens at Miss Patty’s probably becomes town gossip by breakfast, especially if East Side Tilly gets ahold of it.
Hep Alien Is Coming To Town
Lane Kim deserved the world, and at the very least, she deserved a band that got a little more credit. Now, fans can spend some time with two members of Hep Alien: Todd Lowe, who played guitarist Zack Van Gerbig, and John Cabrera, who played Brian Fuller. The actors are hosting three ticketed events throughout the weekend, with tickets available through Remarkist.
- In Trivia Paratus: Friday night brings Gilmore Girls trivia with Lowe and Cabrera instead of dinner with Richard and Emily. The early session takes place at COhatch Delaware, while the late session moves to Oak & Brazen. Tickets are $65 and include a signed 8×10. Time to find out whether all those hours rewatching the show count as studying.
- The Apartment Sessions: These hour-long Saturday sessions take place in the morning and early afternoon at the Willis Education Center. A $65 ticket includes one autograph and admission for up to two adults and two kids. The early-bird tickets for the first session had sold out by October 25, so don’t wait around like you’re hoping Jess will eventually call.
- The Church Tour: Saturday’s big event starts at 7 p.m. at Gray Chapel inside University Hall, 61 S. Sandusky St. in Delaware. The evening includes a Q&A followed by a live set. General admission costs $45, while the $135 VIP ticket adds a front-pew seat and an hour-long after party with the guys at Clo Wine Gallery. Consider it your chance to get up close and personal with the guys who helped give Lane’s band its sound.
- Bundles: Can’t choose just one? Bundles combining two or three events range from $95 to $219.
One important detail: these are early-bird prices. Ticket prices increase as each tier of early-bird seats sells out, and there’s no cutoff date. In other words, don’t spend so long debating your options that you miss the good seats. Even Rory would call that poor planning.
Before The Weekend, Meet Me At Luke’s
Can’t wait until Friday? The pre-party starts Thursday, November 12, at 6:30 p.m. with Meet Me at Luke’s at Beanbag Books in Delaware. The evening features samples of dishes from Scott Patterson’s cookbook, Dishes From the Diner, plus a round of Luke-themed trivia. You can also add a hardcover copy of the cookbook to your ticket, which feels like a perfectly reasonable excuse to bring home a little piece of Luke’s.
One final note for the town meeting minutes: this is a fan event and is not affiliated with Warner Bros. And if you’re making a whole day of your trip to Delaware, we’ve got ideas for how to spend a day in Delaware. Coffee is optional. (Just kidding. It isn’t.)
