Pages & Pines Bookish Retreat – McGregor, MN – August 2026

This summer I had the privilege of attending the Pages & Pines Bookish Retreat held in McGregor, MN and I can’t say enough about how magical this experience was for me.

I think we’re all aware that making friends becomes exponentially more difficult as we get older. Pages & Pines handles that issue right out the gate because everyone there has one thing in common… a shared love of reading. I firmly believe that book people find each other and once you see someone crack open a book or pull out their Kindle, the curiosity takes over and before you know it, you’re chatting with a new friend.

While the itinerary was extensive – there was always something to do! – it was also completely optional. If you wanted to skip a group activity and spend an hour or two in the crafting corner – you could do that. If you wanted to go swimming in the lake with your new friends – you could do that. If you wanted to find a quiet place in the cozy retreat center to read your book – you could do that, too! I loved having the freedom to spend the day however I wanted. I even brought my binoculars with me and saw some lovely feathered friends AND my first loon!

Pages & Pines was extra special because I wasn’t just a camper… I was also a vendor in the book fair. This will probably be my only bookish event in 2026 and I’m so glad it was at Pages & Pines. My fellow campers were supportive and encouraging and I’m grateful to everyone who purchased a copy of The Autobiography of an Infinite Being or How I Turned into a Bird on My 80th Birthday.

I’d like to thank Ande, Delaney, and Janell for the use of their photos for this post and for their friendship. Y’all were so kind to me and I’ll never forget it. I’d also like to thank ALL the campers participating in the MN Pages & Pines retreat for their kindness and patience with this artsy, bird-nerd weirdo. I can’t wait to see you all next year. And lastly, my sincerest thanks to Natalie, founder of Pages & Pines and all around force of nature. You created a way for people to connect by showing us what we have in common, not what separates us. Pages & Pines reminds us that kindness, goodness, friendship, and creativity matters and that we can find those things in each other. What a beautiful gift you’ve given us!