CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
Overview
Circle of Friends is designed as a restorative weekend to explore the power of women, friendship, self-discovery, and connection to the natural world. The event includes various activities and workshops to choose from, unscheduled time for fun or reflection, and nourishing meals created with care. Best of all, weekend revenue supports IslandWood’s outdoor learning programs for youth and educators throughout the region. Please note this weekend is for women who are twenty-one years and older.
Workshops
Workshops, offered on both Saturday and Sunday, will be designed to nourish your mind, body, and spirit with a diverse range of indoor and outdoor activities celebrating nature, human connection, and self-reflection.
Whether you want to exercise, create, socialize, rejuvenate, or experience joy, there will be something for everyone! Options may include writing classes, nature hikes, yoga, meditation, printmaking, cooking classes, arts and crafts, portrait photography, and more!
All workshops are entirely opt-in, allowing you to choose how you want to spend your time. Whether you prefer to sleep in, grab a coffee, or chat with friends, you get to create the weekend that’s right for you.
Keynote Speaker
We’re honored and thrilled that master storyteller Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Women, The Nightingale, and The Great Alone, will be our keynote speaker for Circle of Friends!
Hannah is the award-winning and bestselling author of more than 20 novels. Her newest book, The Women, tells the powerful and poignant story of the brave women who served in the Vietnam War and the challenges they faced on the front lines and on their return home. This narrative of courage, resilience, and sisterhood is the perfect pairing for our Circle of Friends retreat, where we’ll explore themes of self-discovery, connection, and the enduring strength of women.
Hannah’s international blockbuster, The Nightingale, was named Goodreads Best Historical fiction novel for 2015 and also won the coveted People’s Choice award for Best Fiction in the same year. Additionally, it was a selection of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club in 2023 and named a Best Book of the Year by Amazon, iTunes, Buzzfeed, the Wall Street Journal, Paste, and The Week. The Nightingale is currently in production at Tri Star, with Dakota and Elle Fanning set to star.
In 2018, Hannah’s The Great Alone became an instant New York Times #1 bestseller and was named the Best Historical Novel of the Year by Goodreads. Tri Star has also optioned The Great Alone and it is in development. The Four Winds was published in February of 2021 and immediately hit #1 on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Indie bookstores’ bestseller lists. Additionally, it was selected as a book club pick by the Today Show and the Book of the Month club, which named it the best book of 2021. Firefly Lane, Hannah’s beloved novel about two best friends, was the #1 Netflix series around the world in the week it came out.
Weekend Itinerary
We are still finalizing all the amazing details, but the weekend’s schedule will look something like this! Click below to see each day’s sample agenda.
- 4:00pm – Guest check-in
- 5:30pm – Happy hour & welcome from weekend Co-Chairs
- 6:30pm – Dinner
- 7:30pm – Improv activity
- 7:00am – Morning walk on the trails or yoga
- 7:30am – Breakfast
- 9:00am – Workshop sessions
- 11:00am – Keynote lecture with Kristin Hannah
- 12:00pm – Lunch
- 1:00pm – Armchair conversation with Kristin Hannah
- 2:30pm – Workshop sessions
- 5:30pm – Happy hour
- 6:30pm – Dinner
- 8:00pm – Karaoke, DJ and dancing
- 6:30am – Coffee, tea, fruit and pastries
- 7:30am – Walk on the trails or yoga
- 8:30am – Workshop sessions
- 10:00am – Brunch and farewell program
- 11:00am – Guest check-out
Dining
The soulful nourishment provided by the beauty of our campus is matched by the physical nourishment our kitchen team creates with immense care and creativity. Meals and snacks will be prepared and delivered expressly to fuel your wellness and to foster time with the Circle of Friends community. Our kitchen team works to craft meals that sustain and delight a variety of dietary needs and preferences.
Meals will include dinner on Friday evening; breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday; and continental breakfast and brunch on Sunday morning. We look forward to accommodating any dietary requests and you’ll be able to let us know your preferences when making your reservation.
As our kitchen team strives to develop menus based on seasonality and local availability, we’ll share the menu the week prior to Circle of Friends.
Lodging
Soak up all the serenity of our campus by staying in one of our lodges for the weekend! Each lodge has a beautiful log-beam great room with a stone fireplace, laundry facilities, and a small, shared refrigerator.
Our rooms accommodate up to four women (think slumber party!) and include a private bathroom and shower. We’re happy to take roommate requests during registration, so feel free to invite your friends or we can pair you with someone new!
If you’re seeking more solitude, a limited number of single rooms are available at an additional cost. You can also purchase a weekend ticket without lodging.
Lodge check-in is Friday from 4:00–6:00pm and check-out is Sunday by 11:00am.
Individual ticket cancellations are subject to a $50 processing fee per guest. The final day to request a ticket refund is Thursday, September 19, 2024. Tickets canceled within 14 days of the event are non-refundable.
Circle of Friends Advisory Committee
This weekend would not have come together without the leadership and commitment of these wonderful women!
We’re deeply grateful to Debbi Brainerd (Co-Chair), Jeannie Nordstrom (Co-Chair), Anita Braker, Jeanne Goussev, Mary Jacobson, Katherine James-Schuitemaker, Kerry Jean-Francois, Stella Lay, Susan Levy, Beth Morgan, Connie Popenoe, Mary Ann Ranta, Elizabeth Roberts, Cindi Schoettler, Gretchen Siefert, and Mickey Sweeney for the work and passion they brought to planning Circle of Friends 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions you may have about Circle of Friends. If you have additional questions, reach out to us at [email protected] and we’ll get back to you!
Each quad occupancy room accommodates up to four women and the double occupancy rooms accommodate two women. We’re happy to take roommate requests during registration, so feel free to invite your friends and share the room!
If you are not planning to share a room with friends (and are not purchasing a single room), we’ll thoughtfully pair you with other attendees. This is a wonderful opportunity to make new connections and enrich your retreat experience!
If you plan to drive your car onto the ferry, it’s important to know that ferries between Seattle and Bainbridge often fill up on Fridays and Sundays, which can mean you’re waiting in the parking lot until the next sailing if the ferry is full. We highly suggest you arrive at the ferry terminal 45 minutes prior to the sailing you’re hoping to make.
If you plan to walk onto the ferry, shuttle service will be provided to pick you up at the Bainbridge ferry terminal for the 3:00 pm, 3:50 pm and 4:45 pm sailings from Seattle to Bainbridge on Friday. On Sunday, return shuttle service will be available for the 11:35 am and 12:20 pm sailings from Bainbridge Island to Seattle.
Room check-in is in the Welcome Center between 4-6:00pm on Friday. The first scheduled activity is the evening reception starting at 5:30pm. On Sunday, please return room keys by 11:00am to the Welcome Center.
Yes, your room will have bedding and towels. You’ll need to pack your favorite toiletries, hairdryer, and any amenities you would like away from home.
We are unable to accommodate pre and post overnight stays. There are several lovely hotels on Bainbridge Island though, including The Inn at Pleasant Beach and The Eagle Harbor Inn.
Yes! We have “no-lodging” tickets available, which include all the activities and meals for the weekend. Please note that Saturday-only tickets are not offered.
Proceeds from the weekend help support our immersive environmental learning programs for children, educators, and community members all over the Seattle region. Thank you for helping us to inspire the next generation of stewards that will care for and protect this beautiful planet!
Registration
We have several ticket types available, including Single Occupancy, Double Occupancy, Quad Occupancy, or No-Lodging. Please read more about each below.
A Single Occupancy Ticket is $1,600. The ticket includes:
- Lodging for one guest in a private room with a bathroom
- All meals and drinks from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon
- All workshops and activities throughout the weekend
- A $150 donation to support our environmental education programs throughout the region!
A Double Occupancy Ticket is $1,400. The ticket includes:
- Lodging for one guest in a double occupancy bunkroom with a bathroom
- All meals and drinks from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon
- All workshops and activities throughout the weekend
- A $150 donation to support our environmental education programs throughout the region!
**If you are planning to share the room with a friend, you’ll be able to make a roommate request during registration. If you are not planning to share the room with a friend, you may be assigned a roommate.
A Quad Occupancy Ticket is $1,100. The ticket includes:
- Lodging for one guest in a quad occupancy bunkroom with a bathroom
- All meals and drinks from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon
- All workshops and activities throughout the weekend
- A $150 donation to support our environmental education programs throughout the region!
**If you are planning to share the room with three friends, you’ll be able to make a roommate request during registration. If you are not planning to share the room with friends, or are planning to share with two friends and we are at capacity and need space for an additional person, you may be assigned a roommate.
A No-Lodging Ticket is $850. The ticket includes:
- All meals and drinks from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon
- All workshops and activities throughout the weekend
- A $150 donation to support our environmental education programs throughout the region!
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