Winterfire
A warm-hearted winter writing retreat in Ontario
A view of a wintery sunset behind trees and a white house.
Winter is a time for rest and creation.
While nature blankets itself in snow, we also hear that call inward, to pause, to allow, and to create. This retreat marks an opportunity to step out of the busy hum of daily life into a slower pace, with room for naps, books, and of course, our own voices.
Here’s how it works:
We’ll start this experience with a pre-retreat workshop on Zoom to start the beautiful work of building community. We’ll get to know each other, talk through the details of the weekend, and start writing.
Then we’ll gather on a Friday afternoon between 3:30-5pm to start slowing down and transitioning out of our responsibilities, into something softer. We’ll have a big group meal that evening, and then a workshop to help us fully land.
Our time from there will be a mix of writing workshops, group meals, free time, with luxurious silent writing periods on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. We’ll wrap up on Sunday after lunch, between 1-2pm.
To help create a community of care (and because we all know the real party is in the kitchen), each participant will be asked to help plan, bring, and prep one meal for the group. We'll distribute all food restrictions and sensitivities beforehand to make sure everyone will be able to enjoy what we make. We’ll take everyone’s “kitchen comfort levels” into account — if you just want to chop carrots and wash dishes, that’s wonderful.
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Are excited by the idea of quiet time, heart connection, and creative self-reflection.
Want to share their ideas and their writing with others.
Appreciate communal atmospheres and feel drawn to forming connections with others. (That said, this is an introvert-friendly space, and there will be lots of time to do your own thing.)
Want to know where their writing will go if they eliminate distractions and just keep writing.
Are craving some time away from social media and buzzing telephones.
Feel aligned with our fundamental beliefs.
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Might prefer to go to a spa. This retreat will involve focused writing and lots of introspection, as well as helping out with some meal preparation and cleanup. This isn’t a space to be catered to; it’s a space to actively co-create.
Are working on a writing project they’re not motivated by, like something for work. This retreat is built on the love of words, and tapping into the heart of our writing processes.
Believe that their writing can only thrive in a critical writing environment. We believe that writing flourishes with heavy doses of kindness and support.
Don’t want to share their work with others. There will be lots of opportunities to share, and while it’s totally fine to pass from time to time, we’re looking for participants who are excited by sharing, even when it’s a little squirmy.
Honestly can’t go a day without checking Twitter.
Where we’ll be:
On March 22 to 24, Britt & Kim will be leading a retreat at Damselfly Studio, a cozy and spacious home (and gallery) of artist Susan Ware, right on Lake Muskoka, outside Gravenhurst, about 2 hours from Toronto, 4.5 hours from Ottawa. You can find it on a map here. It features her gorgeous art throughout, and many accessibility features which we're excited to share. There will be a mix of shared and solo rooms, some with en-suite bathrooms. There’s a fantastic barrier-free veranda, and lake access.
Read about accessibility features at this venue.
Read the Healthcare Harm Reduction Policy for the retreat.
Details:
Friday March 22 – Sunday March 24
Plus a pre-retreat session via Zoom on Monday March 18, 7–9:30pm
With Britt & Kim at Damselfly Studio
Sorry this retreat is full. Please feel free to join our waitlist.
To make transit easy and sweet, we’d be happy to connect those wanting to carpool so you can coordinate rides together.
Britt
Kim
Prices:
The total price for this retreat is:
$795 for a bed in a room shared with one other person. These are twin beds. When you sign up, you’ll be asked for a $195 deposit for this option.
$895 for a bed in a private room. When you sign up, you’ll be asked for a $295 deposit for this option.
Your payment will be separated into two parts:
Registration deposit, which covers a portion of the creative writing facilitation, payable to Firefly to confirm your spot.
Balance payment, which covers the balance of the creative writing facilitation plus accommodations, payable to our travel agent partner Joseph Machado at Merit Travel once your registration has been confirmed.
All new in-person retreat participants will have a chat on the phone with one of the facilitators before their registration is final. We like connecting to make sure it’s the right fit.
Once your registration has been confirmed, in compliance with TICO regulation, our travel agent partner Joseph at Merit Travel will contact you for the balance of the payment ($600 plus applicable taxes).
Wendy Reis, Merit Travel
1-866-341-1777, extension 5320
wreis@merittravel.com
TICO registration #4499356
If the price is a barrier, don't hesitate to apply for financial aid.
See our financial policies.
Questions?
There’s an FAQ with loads more info.
Firefly’s 2016 Winterfire Retreat gave me a beautiful opportunity to step outside my routine and devote some time to creativity. The Firefly team is deeply supportive and loving, and in the first activity we did, it already felt like a safe space to share some freshly written lines. I am grateful to have had the chance to spend time with Firefly’s phenomenal writing coaches.
Meaghan Mazurek
Writer and Teacher, www.meaghanmazurek.com
Attending Winterfire was like a launch pad for me. All of my writing habits had gone dormant, and I needed a spark. I found it there. The Firefly Team created an incredible space for sharing, writing, silence, more writing, more silence, and lots of coming together. A fountain of words came out of me that weekend, and I have been busy writing ever since.
Eden Hertzog
Owner, cookie expert, New Moon Kitchen
When I came back from the Winterfire Retreat I felt connected. Not just with other writers and friends, or with my projects and writing dreams, but with myself — my words, my stories, my heart.
Kelly Wilk
Freelance Writer