It's been 25 years since the world was first introduced to Gilmore Girls and its fast-talking, coffee-stalking mother and daughter - but you wouldn't know it given the passion of old fans and the slew of eager new ones. Within an hour of my September arrival at the A Weekend in the Life convention in New Milford, Connecticut - one of the towns that supposedly inspired the '00s (and beyond) phenomenon Gilmore Girls, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel - I'm approached by no less than five kind strangers ready to chat. A Taylor Doose type representing the local historical society points to the nearby gazebo ("It's a bandstand!" I can almost hear him correcting me) as he recalls an Ohio man popping the question to his Gilmore-obsessed girlfriend (now fiancée). A Mrs. Kim stand-in - though much nicer, as advertised on a sign outside her shop - is quick to share that fans have come from Alaska, New Zealand and France to visit her thrift store, The Hunt, in the center of town. MAIN COMPOSITE, LEFT TO RIGHT FROM TOP: WARNER BROS. (2); WARNER BROS./EVERETT COLLECTION; WARNER BROS.; WARNER BROS./EVERETT COLLECTION (2); WARNER BROS. (2); WARNER BROS./EVERETT COLLECTION (4) A local woman resembling Miss Patty in demeanor more than aesthetic interrupts my notetaking to ask if I'm painting and if so, have I checked out the area artisans? And finally, mother-daughter duo Kim and Lorelai (yes, she's named after Graham's character) talk to me about their pilgrimage to this quaint town all the way from Minnesota after years of watching their own familial dynamic reflected in the words and actions of the Gilmore duo. That's the draw for many of the 1,200 or so superfans who've made the trip for this particular Gilmore event - one of hundreds that take place each year in the form of conventions, trivia battles and even themed cruises. "There's a lot of heavy stuff in our world. Sometimes you just want to escape to that wonderful place that makes you feel good and brings you back home," Kim told Us Weekly. Lorelai Stranski and Kim Peterson Janelle Poitras of JPoitrasPhotos Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, the comedy drama came into our lives October 5, 2000, introducing 30-something Lorelai Gilmore and her precocious teenage daughter, Rory. The verbal and coffee-committed duo were foiled by the equally quick Emily Gilmore (Kelly Bishop), aloof, society-minded mother to Lorelai and doting grand­mother to Rory. Outside of the intergenerational trio at the story's heart, the residents of fictional Stars Hollow, Connecticut - said to be loosely based on zip codes like New Milford - add a quirky edge. A quick roundup: Richard Gilmore (Edward Herrmann) is the golf-loving patriarch. In addition to self-appointed town leader Taylor (Michael Winters), there's diner owner Luke (Scott Patterson), an on-again, off-again love interest for Lorelai; Mrs. Kim (Emily Kuroda), stern mom to Rory's best friend, Lane (Keiko Agena); and Miss Patty (Liz Torres), dancer-turned-teacher and town gossip. 'Gilmore Girls' Cast: Where Are They Now? Sookie St. James (Melissa McCarthy) is the clumsy yet talented cook who is Lorelai's business partner/BFF. Michel Gerard (Yanic Truesdale) is the prickly French concierge at the inn where Lorelai and Sookie work. Add in more colorful denizens of Stars Hollow (Sean Gunn, Sally Struthers and Jackson Douglas, to name a few), as well as Rory's classmates (such as Liza Weil) and her oft-discussed love interests Dean (Jared Padalecki), Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) and Logan (Matt Czuchry). Cast of 'Gilmore Girls' Warner Bros./Everett Collection Living Gilmore While the show was a moderate success during its seven seasons on the WB and the CW, a whole new generation became initiated into the cozy cult of Gilmore Girls when Netflix added it in 2014. (The four-episode revival A Year in the Life streamed in 2016.) Even a quick glance at TV listings shows a whopping 38 hours of Gilmore airing in one week. "I don't even know how many times I've watched it anymore. I've lost count," fan Liza Seipold told Us at the Decade Days-operated gathering. (Not surprisingly for this group, her admission was covered by a fellow fan after finding out Seipold's daughter was sick and she couldn't afford the ticket price.) "I watch it every day, practically. I'm obsessed. I mean, it's one of my favorite shows ever. It's my happy place." Retailers Danielle Restivo and Angelique Holm feel similarly: "I want to live in Stars Hollow. That's the dream," the latter told Us, adding that "money is no object" when it comes to how much she'd spend on Gilmore Girls-related merch or activities. (Other attendees reveal $1,000+ running tabs of what they spent to get there, plus branded sweatshirts, candles, blankets and selfies with cast members at around $70 a pop.) Retailers Angelique Holm and Danielle Restivo Janelle Poitras of JPoitrasPhotos Caitlin Broome and Skyler Laskowski, who bonded over their love of the show while in college in North Carolin