Rory returns from Washington, D.C. for the First Annual Stars Hollow End of Summer Madness Festival. She realizes her feelings for Jess might be a lot stronger than she thought. Lorelai is having strong feelings of her own.
Christopher has a heated discussion with Lorelai, but Emily intervenes. Francie initiates a power struggle on the student council. Meanwhile Rory and Jess have it out about their hurt feelings. Kirk asks someone out.
Lorelai is cornered by a new local and talked in to watering his garden whilst he's away on a business trip. When Lorelai has to get to work, she asks Rory to take over, but when things go wrong she has to enlist Jess' help. Lorelai also asks Emily for help finding a guy she met at an auction house, but realizes he's not quite what she anticipated.
Rory is invited to Sherry's baby shower and Lorelai gets pulled in with her. Between Sherry's goodwill and the party poppers, Lorelai is at her breaking point and feels the need to let off some steam. Jess comes home with a car and the town gathers for a not so successful town demonstration...stop the noodle shoes?
It's time for the annual Stars Hollow Dance marathon again and Lorelai is determined to win. Dean sits in the bleachers to support Rory, but so does Jess whose intentions aren't quite so innocent.
Rory and Lorelai work to accommodate four Thanksgiving dinners. Lorelai finds out Rory applied to more colleges than just Harvard. Lane has her first kiss. Human Kirk and cat Kirk have a little adjusting to do.
It's Richard's birthday. His mother arrives from England and announces her return to the States. Rory deals with Francie at school. Rory and Dean decide to be friends.
Emily is being sued by a maid for wrongful termination and asks Lorelai to attest to her character. Francie manages to come between Paris and Rory leaving Rory out in the cold and Sookie unwittingly sets up a date with an old friend.
Lorelai and Rory clean out the garage so Lane's band can use it for practice. Luke and lawyers don't mix except for maybe Taylor's new attorney. Paris tries to impeach Rory during the student council meeting, which gets them both sent to the headmasters office. Lane's prom plans backfire.
Lorelai heads off to New York with Alex, Sookie and Jackson. Meanwhile, Jess gets a black eye and doesn't want anybody to know just how it happened, which leads to trouble at Friday night dinner.
Jess said he would call Rory but he doesn't. Rory goes to a hockey game with Lane, where she sees Dean with his new girlfriend. Trix surprises Richard and Emily freaks out.
The Poe Society is in town, and the inn catches fire, forcing guests to move into Lorelai's house. Rory tries to decide between Harvard, Yale and Princeton.
