Since it was a reunion show (and everyone there had probably seen the entire series multiple times), we didn’t watch an episode. Instead, the evening began with an introduction from none other than Pawnee’s own Perd Hapley! After making some very Perd-like jokes, he brought onstage the actual host of the evening, Patton Oswalt.

Alas, no Star Wars filibuster this time.

The lights came down and we were treated to a collection of “first shots” from the show – basically a bunch of the characters’ introductions from the early seasons, many of which had never been aired. Very cool!

The entire cast came out then, starting with Aubrey Plaza, and followed by Chris Pratt, Aziz Ansari, Rashida Jones, Amy Poehler, Nick Offerman, Adam Scott, Retta, and Rob Lowe. Then came co-creator Michael Schur, and, last but not least, Jim O’Heir (aka Jerry), who walked out to find that there was no chair left for him! (Fortunately there was one waiting just offstage.) Oh Jerry.

Amy Poehler was visibly emotional as the crowd cheered. It was very sweet to see how much the fans’ reaction meant to her. The cast commented that they didn’t expect so many people to turn up! Considering that the event sold out almost immediately, and the Dolby holds thousands of people, it’s clear just how popular the show still is.

Still BFFs!

Patton Oswalt did a great job of keeping the conversation going, and is clearly a super-fan of Parks and Rec himself, as he made some pretty deep references! Fortunately he was in a room full of people who understood them. Topics included how much the characters are based on the real-life personalities of the actors (Michael Schur described it as “a Venn diagram”), how so many of the phrases from the show have entered the vernacular (“Treat Yo Self” and “Galentine’s Day” came to mind), and how the show seemed to predict some of the crazy things happening in the world today. (Yes, they all agree that Entertainment 720 would have been involved with Fyre Festival, with one difference, according to Schur: “Tom and Jean-Ralphio – they could’ve gotten Ja Rule.”)

Another very cool thing the group revealed is that after the show wrapped, Nick Offerman took all the wooden doors from the set and turned them into canoe paddles stamped with the Pawnee seal, which he gifted to the cast and crew. Offerman, sounding very much like Ron Swanson, simply commented, “Perfectly good red oak.”

And then, a topic dear to every fan’s heart: they discussed the possibility of a Parks and Rec movie. Speaking about today’s reboot culture, Michael Schur said “nothing is ever gone…I would never say never.” But he did make it clear that every single person on the stage, and a few who weren’t present, would have to be 100% supportive in order for a film to go forward, and that he believes the show made the argument that it intended to make.

So, it doesn’t sound super-likely at the moment. But we can keep our fingers crossed for a return to Pawnee!

After the event ended, Amy Poehler stayed onstage for about 15 minutes, taking selfies and signing whatever her fans offered up. Total class act.

If you’re feeling sad to have missed out on this year’s festivities, fear not! PaleyFest will be back next year (or in the fall, if you live near New York). The shows participating in PaleyFest LA are usually announced beginning in December, with the official lineup revealed in January. If there’s something you have your eye on, be sure to get tickets ASAP, and consider becoming a member for early access to tickets! The hot shows sell out fast.

Did you make it to PaleyFest this year? What show would you be most excited to see on the schedule?