Magic in the Real World
Sometimes sheer magic really does exist. It’s not abundant and it often comes when you least expect it. This past weekend was proof.
I had no idea what I was in for when I signed up with fellow author Stephanie Julian to partake in the Stars Hollow Pop-Up Fall Fest this past weekend. But I think even if I’d had some idea, I still would have vastly underestimated the number of mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends that make up the Gilmore Girls fandom. And how under-served they have been for so many years.
The event garnered the attention of over 18,000 people on Facebook, though nowhere close to that number showed up. (Thank goodness – that would have been far too many for vendors and bathrooms alike!) But thousands DID show up over the course of three arguably perfect fall days. Mid-sixties, shining sun, beautiful blue skies, and fall trees that had clearly gotten the memo about what they were supposed to wear for a fall fest.
Some folks traveled from as far away as Tennessee. We spoke to people from New York, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, and even heard about a family from New Mexico who decided to stop by on their visit. We watched a couple get engaged in front of the gazebo where families, friends, and couples lined up for photo opportunities.
A palpable excitement hung in the air. With free parking and free admission, attendees were happy to spend money and time on food and fun all weekend long. And you could find just about anything Gilmore Girls themed – mugs, shirts, totes, umbrellas, blankets, and coffee. Plus dozens of things entirely unrelated, but definitely Lorelei and Rory Gilmore approved, including…you guessed it – books!
Friends, I’ve found my readers. Gilmore Girls fans? They like their YA fantasy books and they like their steamy romance. (No, that last part isn’t what I write, but it’s what Stephanie Julian writes, and we make a pretty good team with a variety of offerings when we pair up for an event!) The GG fandom loves to read and they were happy to tell us about it!
The real magic, though, was in the friendship. These women bought their families, their boyfriends, their best friends, their children, and their grandchildren. They came to bathe in the flannel-shirted and backwards-hatted camaraderie that could only be found at an event like this. This wasn’t just a fall fest. It was a friend fest. It was a place where I could easily chat with any reader at any time, because we shared a special love of a fictional world that tied us together and made for easy conversation.
After all, talking with anyone there was simply a matter of asking whether they were Team Dean, Jess, or Logan. (The only acceptable answer is Jess. I will take no questions at this time.) It was a weekend of old friends and new friends, smiles, and shared joy. That joy. It was contagious. It’s the first time I’ve forgotten we’re in an election year. Ever. And maybe the first time I’ve come home from an event exhausted…but also…energized? Because these people? They are my people! (What is this feeling? I’m not an extrovert. What does it mean?)
So thank you Sarah with an h and Genna with a G and so many other readers and Gilmore Girls fans who made this weekend an amazing event that was worth every second of the hard work that goes into being a vendor. And thanks to Sarah S. and Red Bird Events for thinking this one up and doing the hard work to make it happen. What a magical, magical weekend.
Bonus: I *just* found out, after a decade, that the sticker on my computer (sent to me by my dear aunt) is from the Gilmore Girls… How have I not known this? Might be time for a rewatch!
