2024 Smells Like Snow Coffee Festival Features Hep Alien and Brings 5,000 Visitors to Downtown Akron

While this year’s Smells Like Snow Coffee Festival was the fifth of its kind, it was larger and more Gilmore Girly than ever before. Perhaps that’s because we had a special visit from not one, but two members of the show’s fictional rock band, Hep Alien. That’s right: John Cabrera and Todd Lowe, who played Brian Fuller and Zack Van Gerbig, respectively, flew into Akron to spend the day meeting fans, sipping on coffee, reminiscing about their time on the show, and even joining Atlanta-based roots-rock band Run Katie Run to perform Blondie’s “Hanging on the Telephone,” Carol King’s “Where You Lead” and The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.”

We estimate about 5,000 folks visited Cascade Plaza for the festival. Many stayed all afternoon to participate in free crafts and activities, do a little shopping from the 20+ retail vendors, try specialty drinks from 16 local purveyors of coffee, and enjoy delightfully greasy, filling culinary offerings from several food trucks and trailers, among them Swenson’s, Stray Dog, Eddie’s Famous Cheesesteaks, Dr. Hibachi, and Brooks Homestyle BBQ. Visitors came from every corner of Ohio and at least five other states, including Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Michigan, West Virginia, and North Carolina.

Northeast Ohio singer-songwriter Rachel Roberts served as “town” troubadour for a chunk of the afternoon, engaging the crowd with her lyrical finesse and effortless acoustic musicality. Trivia sessions and a Street Craftery-led ornament-painting workshop carried on inside a large activity tent on the plaza. A block down Main Street, at the Akron-Summit County Public Library TechZone, over 100 eventgoers created their very own quirky, festival-themed buttons for the third year in a row. Singer-songwriter Jul Big Green entertained visitors earlier in the day with a mellow set of eclectic pop, hip-hop and jazz-influenced originals.

At 1:45, contestants who were dressed as gruff yet loveable diner owners gathered for the second-ever Luke-Alike contest. Five finalists, who were scored based on creativity and overall Luke alikeness, joined emcee Julie Holiday onstage, where she introduced them, and they gave their best Luke Danes impression. The winners took first, second, and third places according to the volume of the crowd’s applause following their impressions.

The plaza was full all afternoon. Additionally, businesses around the neighborhood participated in the festivities with Gilmore-themed offerings, like coffee-infused beer, cocktails, and ice cream; gift basket giveaways; special discounts; Gilmore Girls trivia; and more.

As always, we’re grateful to the thousands of fans—of Amy Sherman-Palladino’s comedy-drama television series, and of a good cup of joe—for making the Smells Like Snow Coffee Festival a smashing success. Next year's celebration will take place November 1, 2025.

The Smells Like Snow Coffee Festival is presented by Downtown Akron Partnership with support from the City of Akron, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and Ohio Arts Council.

Photos: Ramahn Wilder