to the stars
who listen
Fantasy Reading Retreat for Women and Femmes
callicoon hills, catskills, ny
November 6-8, 2026
registration info
Registration will open first with early bird pricing to members of the Forest & Fawn Membership Community, before opening to our email list.
Registration times are as follows:
Membership Community: Monday, March 23, 2026 at 12pm ET
Email List: Monday, March 23, 2026 at 2pm ET
If tickets are not sold out, they will be made available to the public at full price on Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
Picture this.
You arrive at a boutique hotel nestled in the mountains of the Catskills, where relaxation, adventure, and new friends are around every corner.
Perhaps you’d like to spend the day reading quietly alone with a warm bevy, or maybe you’d prefer to explore the local nature with your new bookish bestie.
No matter what you choose, we know there is magic waiting for you at this fantasy reading retreat.
Photo credit: Callicoon Hills
This retreat is for you if:
You want to connect with other women and femmes who love to read fantasy and just get you (aka, you’re looking for your “inner circle”)
You need people in your life who know what you’re talking about when you bring up Chapter 55 or “wingspan”
You want to make lifelong friendships with people who have similar interests
You know your like-minded girl squad exists, but you can’t find anyone near you
You want to bring your robust Bookstagram and Booktok communities into the real world
You want a few days to escape from the real world and travel to a place that feels like a different realm
You are 21+
What BOOKS ARE WE DISCUSSING?
We are going to be discussing the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J Maas! And this time, we’ll have tons of new material to discuss with book 6 coming out just 10 days before the event!
Whether these are the books that got you back into reading as an adult, helped you find yourself again, or simply gave you a story to fall in love with, this retreat is for those who consider themselves honorary members of the “Court of Dreams”.
This event is independently organized and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by the author or publisher.
Hear from our past guests
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January 2025 New York Retreat
“I can honestly say attending this book retreat with F&F was one of the best decisions of my life. The immediate community and friendships I built as soon as I arrived made every nervous/anxious thought disappear from my mind. I had the greatest time with my new best friends talking about our shared interests, learning new skills, and overall just enjoying each other’s company. I truly could not recommend these retreats enough, and I cannot wait until the next one!”
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June 2024 Washington Retreat
"If you’re asking yourself, should I buy this ticket and meet up with random people I’ve never met? The answer is 100% absolutely!! I have never experienced such an immediate connection. The level of enthusiasm, acceptance, and just overall ✨women supporting women energy✨ at this retreat has blown my mind. Days later I am still riding the high of this trip. From late night talks, wine tasting, and the best charades ever, this is not a trip you want to miss out on. Thank you to Sarah and Alli for putting together such an amazing event!"
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january 2025 new york retreat
“I had the best time at the retreat and already miss my found family so much! I traveled alone, and felt an immediate kinship with the other attendees based in a shared love of stories that shaped our lives. The F+F crew planned a lovely weekend with a perfect balance of activities, and while everything was optional I wanted to participle in everything I could! Coming back to real life this particular week was difficult, but I can't wait for the next adventure!”
Photo credit: Callicoon Hills
What’s included?
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Callicoon Hills offers luxurious accommodations perfect for a cozy bookish weekend. Choose between a private king, accessible private queen, or shared double room!
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All meals are included starting with dinner on Friday night and ending with breakfast on Sunday. Coffee, tea and other beverages will be provided throughout the days to keep you cozy.
Have an allergy or other kind of food restriction? We’ve got you covered. You’ll have an option at checkout to tell us what your specific needs are!
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We will have scheduled times to meet to discuss topics from the books, our favorite characters, and anything else your hearts desire!
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From trivia to cozy crafting and more, all activities on our itinerary are included!
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We know that your brain is chock full of random fantasy trivia that you’ve been waiting to bust out at the right occasion. Well…THIS is the right occasion. Bring your fantasy knowledge and maybe even win a prize!
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Want to try writing a fantasy story of your own? Well, you’re in the perfect place. Join us for a creative writing workshop whether you are a prolific author or a total newbie. This workshop is for everyone who wants to channel their inner storyteller.
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A privately designated meeting room for the weekend just for our group!
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Because no retreat is complete without a few things for you to take home that will serve as reminders of your magical time with Forest & Fawn retreats. Whether this weekend brings you new book besties to swap conspiracy theories with or simply a much needed break from a hectic day-to-day, we want you to remember this time forever.
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You’ll have access to a private group forum before and after your retreat. This is a great chance to connect with other fantasy-lovers (if you choose) and keep in touch once the retreat is over. Say hello to your new book besties!
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It’s all taken care of! All you have to do is book your travel, then sit back and relax!
Accommodations
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private King
Early Bird: $1,875
Full Price: $1,975
Enjoy a private room all to yourself! This cozy room is 210 square feet with a king bed and private bathroom, perfect for the traveller who wants space to themselves to relax, unwind, and crack open a book after spending the day making new friends.
This ticket is only available for single occupancy.
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private queen (accessible)
Early Bird: $1,825
Full Price: $1,925
Please note that though we do not allow dogs on our retreats, these rooms are dog friendly. If you prefer not to stay in a room that has previously hosted dogs, we recommend choosing a King or Double room.
The accessible Pool House Queen Room has all the same charms and amenities, including plush bedding and air conditioning, but comes with the added ease of dedicated parking in front of the Pool House.
This ticket is only available for single occupancy.
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double room
Early Bird: $1,525
Full Price: $1,675
Looking to share your space with a roomie? Choose the double room!
At 210 square feet, these rooms are designed for a social yet relaxing getaway.
Roommate assignments will be random unless noted at checkout. If you are traveling with a friend, you will both need to purchase a ticket and request each other as a roommate at checkout.
This ticket is for a full bed in a shared room.
Hear from our past guests
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June 2024 Washington Retreat
"The only trip I have ever booked because of Instagram and it was the best decision ever! I didnt expect such lasting connections with all of these amazing humans to be built in two days. Everyone was so open, kind, fun, smart and absolute book nerds in the best way 🫶🫶🫶 #smutconferenceinthewoods created a core memory for this millennial 😂"
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April 2024 Washington Retreat
"This quite honestly was the most amazing experience I have ever had. I get socially drained quickly and I didn’t feel like this drained me much at all. Thank you for creating such a safe space for us to all get to know each other. ❤️"
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January 2025 New York Retreat
“Attending this retreat was such a wonderful experience! I registered without knowing a single other person who would be attending, but left with so many new life-long friends. Being surrounded by so many amazing, similar-minded women made it so easy for me to step outside of my comfort zone and get to know new people. Thank you so very much to all of the hosts for creating such a warm and welcoming environment!! 💖”
Meet the Hosts
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Sarah
"FAWN"
Co-Founder of Forest & Fawn, Bookish Content Creator, and Romantasy/Fantasy Connoisseur.
Can and will be found yapping about a shadow daddy somewhere (don't bother trying to stop her, it's like waking up a sleepwalker).
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Emily
"FJORD"
Emily is our adventure-loving, sea-faring skipper. If you want to taste wine, scale some rocks, or talk about The Wager, (please someone talk to her about The Wager), Emily is your go-to.
You Deserve a Weekend Like This.
This isn’t just about reading. It’s about remembering who you are when life gets quiet.
Want first access to registration?
join our membership!
Be part of The Reading Nook membership for fantasy readers or The Writer’s Corner membership for fantasy writers!
With features like a monthly book club, creative writing workshops, bookish virtual events, critique partner matchup, and more, these memberships will encourage you to let your imagination run wild and connect with fantasy lovers all over the world.
Want to know more about what these memberships have to offer?
Getting there
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE: Hotel check-in starts at 4:00pm on Friday, November 6th, 2026. Check-out is at 11:00am on Sunday, November 8th, 2026.
Plane: The nearest airport to Callicoon Center, NY is located in Albany, NY. Other options are Newark, LaGuardia, or JFK all located in/around NYC.
For those flying, you will have a chance to coordinate with other guests to carpool with rental cars in advance if you would like.
Car: Callicoon Center, NY is roughly
1 hour from Albany, NY
2 hours from NYC
3 hours from Boston
FAQs
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If you wish to cancel your retreat you must notify our team via email at hello@forestandfawnretreats.com. Refunds will not be available within 60 days of the event.
Ticket prices include a $250 non-refundable, transferrable deposit. A refund on a ticket (minus $250 deposit) is contingent on whether or not Forest & Fawn can fill the guests slot before 60 days prior to the event, for sold out events only. For non-sold out events there are no refunds on payments made, and you are responsible for the entirety of your payment plan. For sold out events, if your guest slot is filled, a refund will be issued within 14 days. If you paid using Afterpay, you can request a refund from Afterpay within 120 of the purchased. If your refund is being issued outside of the 120 day window, your refund will be sent via Zelle from Forest & Fawn. Exceptions to our cancellation policy cannot be made for any reason. There is no refund for arriving late or leaving a trip early.
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Yes! Alcoholic drinks will be available for purchase at the inn bar, but if you prefer herbal tea, that will be available all day at no extra cost!
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If you book a shared room, you will have an option in checkout to request a roommate! Make sure you both add each other to your order to ensure you end up in the same room.
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Yes! Well, as long as you take breaks to eat and use the restroom. This retreat is made for YOU. All activities are optional.
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Yes! Whatever your restrictions are, we’ve got you covered. Or rather, the staff at the Lodge at St. Edwards has you covered.
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Yes! You can choose to check out with AfterPay at checkout for orders up to $2,000.
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This retreat is for YOU. That means that nothing is mandatory. If you want to curl up and read in your luxurious bed all day, go for it. If you want to take your lunch on the road and see the natural wonders of the area, by all means. Our activities are solely here as options to enhance your experience.
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Due to the capacity of our venue, daypasses are not available for this retreat.