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New Years Retreat on Hiatus This Year (2026-7)
We hope the changing season brings you moments of pause, discovery, and plenty of music-making. For us coordinators, September is a time to rest, reflect, and look ahead.
This message centers around a special tradition: our New Year Retreat. At the turn of the millennium, camp co-founder Flip Breskin and friends realized that if the world was facing the unknown disruptions of Y2K, there was no better haven to gather in than PSGW. Ever since, this annual retreat has brought families of all types together to create music and share in community.
This year, Pilgrim Firs is focusing on essential campsite maintenance and infrastructure upgrades during our usual retreat dates to ensure the grounds stay strong and thriving. Because of these necessary projects, we won't be able to host our New Year Retreat this season.
We cherish these annual traditions and know just how meaningful it is to gather with friends - old and new - to celebrate the New Year. We hope this shift in your winter calendar isn't too disruptive, and that in place of our gathering, new space opens up to you.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out. In the meantime, rest assured that Winter Retreat is moving forward - we'll be in touch soon with more details!
Love, Elian, Janet, & Karee
What are retreats really like? PSGW co-founder Flip Breskin says it best:
"Participants range from relatively beginning players through lots of professionals. Maybe 2/3 of us actually play guitar. Most of the rest of us play some other instrument, or sing passionately, or come with someone we love who plays. Some folks bring their kids. Lots of great harmony singers.
Fabulous old geezers and sparkling young musicians. Worlds collide and the music coruscates.
There are no classes. The only interruption to the music and conversation is good food. Lots of trading life stories late at night between tunes. (I forgot to go to bed again...)
There's a dance on Saturday night. A lot of people get really dressed up. Some of us wear jeans. For me it depends on my mood. Big steak & salmon feast one dinner. Mallard Ice Cream at least a couple times for snacks. I drag out boxes of needle-felting materials for art projects that include name-tags for those who are so inspired. Some folks bring their own craft projects.
Housing is in cabins and a couple lodges around a little lake in the woods. Nice places to walk. Decent beds, with bedding & towels provided. Heat & indoor bathrooms and showers in the cabins.
Folk, swing, gypsy jazz (especially at Winter), old time, celtic, bluegrass, singer-songwriter, classic rock & roll.... Big mobs singing Beatles songs & old Broadway musicals. Tiny hang-out-in-the corner and jam with one or two other like-minded folks in a quiet cabin (that's my favorite). Roam from cabin to cabin to see what's going on. Ask anybody "How did you DO that?" and you're likely to get a real answer."
Instructor and Registration Information Coming in February 2027
New Years Retreat on Hiatus This Year (2026-7)
We hope the changing season brings you moments of pause, discovery, and plenty of music-making. For us coordinators, September is a time to rest, reflect, and look ahead.
This message centers around a special tradition: our New Year Retreat. At the turn of the millennium, camp co-founder Flip Breskin and friends realized that if the world was facing the unknown disruptions of Y2K, there was no better haven to gather in than PSGW. Ever since, this annual retreat has brought families of all types together to create music and share in community.
This year, Pilgrim Firs is focusing on essential campsite maintenance and infrastructure upgrades during our usual retreat dates to ensure the grounds stay strong and thriving. Because of these necessary projects, we won't be able to host our New Year Retreat this season.
We cherish these annual traditions and know just how meaningful it is to gather with friends - old and new - to celebrate the New Year. We hope this shift in your winter calendar isn't too disruptive, and that in place of our gathering, new space opens up to you.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out. In the meantime, rest assured that Winter Retreat is moving forward - we'll be in touch soon with more details!
Love, Elian, Janet, & Karee
What are retreats really like? PSGW co-founder Flip Breskin says it best:
"Participants range from relatively beginning players through lots of professionals. Maybe 2/3 of us actually play guitar. Most of the rest of us play some other instrument, or sing passionately, or come with someone we love who plays. Some folks bring their kids. Lots of great harmony singers.
Fabulous old geezers and sparkling young musicians. Worlds collide and the music coruscates.
There are no classes. The only interruption to the music and conversation is good food. Lots of trading life stories late at night between tunes. (I forgot to go to bed again...)
There's a dance on Saturday night. A lot of people get really dressed up. Some of us wear jeans. For me it depends on my mood. Big steak & salmon feast one dinner. Mallard Ice Cream at least a couple times for snacks. I drag out boxes of needle-felting materials for art projects that include name-tags for those who are so inspired. Some folks bring their own craft projects.
Housing is in cabins and a couple lodges around a little lake in the woods. Nice places to walk. Decent beds, with bedding & towels provided. Heat & indoor bathrooms and showers in the cabins.
Folk, swing, gypsy jazz (especially at Winter), old time, celtic, bluegrass, singer-songwriter, classic rock & roll.... Big mobs singing Beatles songs & old Broadway musicals. Tiny hang-out-in-the corner and jam with one or two other like-minded folks in a quiet cabin (that's my favorite). Roam from cabin to cabin to see what's going on. Ask anybody "How did you DO that?" and you're likely to get a real answer."