We welcome you to our newest retreat for Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer men, “Spring Thaw: A Retreat for Men Who Love Men.” This retreat emerged in the years following the COVID pandemic. At that time, we were worn out by the pandemic yet yearning more than ever for the kinds of connections we can create at Rowe. And so, we gather with a desire to rest and relax deeply, together.

“Thaw” is significantly less busy and less programmed than our other retreats. It is a shorter weekend retreat with fewer planned activities and more free time. While some retreats encourage us to push our “growing edges” or lean into challenging activities, the call here is the opposite. This is a weekend for extraordinary men to be content with “just enough”, a weekend for relaxing into ourselves just as we are.

The weekend is open as a reunion for previous Rowe attendees but also welcomes those new to Rowe and curious about our community. We provide newcomer support both before and throughout the weekend and are happy to answer all of your questions as you consider attendance. Expect delicious, nourishing meals, gentle morning yoga (beginners are welcome), reflective workshops, a great dance on the last evening, games, quiet corners in which to read or converse, and more. The weekend is lightly programmed and spacious.

Beyond our indoor activities, Rowe Center’s trails offer a serene and remote retreat for those craving time in nature, and our hot sauna will take the chill off when you return from your hike.

We welcome all gay, bi, trans, queer, and questioning men. We celebrate men from every walk of life—from all races, cultural identities, spiritual beliefs, economic backgrounds, body shapes, physical capabilities, gender expressions, and neurological diversities. This is a sober (alcohol- and substance-free) event.

Please consider joining us this April.

While a great deal has changed in the nearly 40 years since, we still gather for comfort, companionship, a sense of family, and a celebration of this life together. We are the oldest continuous gathering of our kind in the nation, a place where hundreds of lives have been transformed across the decades, and a place where all who seek to join us are warmly welcomed.