The Dads

Retreat

A gathering for fathers of transgender and gender-expansive children—designed for connection, reflection, and real support.

Four diverse friends taking a selfie together outdoors; one is making a peace sign. They are smiling and appear happy.

What is the

Dads Retreat? 

The Dads Retreat is the Foundation’s cornerstone gathering, bringing fathers together in an intentionally designed space for learning, emotional restoration, and community.

Over the course of three days, dads participate in facilitated conversations, shared meals, workshops, outdoor experiences, and quiet reflection. The retreat is grounded in honesty, respect, and mutual support—creating space for fathers to show up fully, ask hard questions, and build lasting connections with others who understand this journey.

A person in a blue jacket walking in a forested area with tall trees and a wooden cabin in the background.

Why the Retreat Matters

The Dads Retreat offers something rare: a space where vulnerability is welcomed, strength is redefined, and no one has to explain why they’re there. Time and again, dads describe the retreat as a turning point—not because it provides all the answers, but because it reminds them they are not alone.

Group of people standing outdoors with arms around each other's shoulders, focused on a shared activity or moment.

Upcoming Retreat:

Portland, OR, May 13-16, 2027
(specific location provided upon registration)

This retreat is limited to 50 people and includes facilitated fatherhood circles, workshops, outdoor expeditions (hiking, fishing, etc.), and many opportunities to rest, reflect, and connect. Specific programming is designed to support both personal growth and collective strength, while honoring the diverse experiences each dad brings with them.All meals and double occupancy lodging are included in the $750 registration price. 

Transportation is not included in the retreat ticket.

Please click below to pre-register (pay nothing now). We will follow up to provide further details, answer questions, and arrange for payment.

Pre-Register Here

Past Retreats

Two cars parked on a rocky terrain near a river at sunset, with a person standing near the river and a warning sign

The Dads Retreat 2022: Broken Bow, Oklahoma

  • In March 2022, five fathers of trans children join Dennis Shepard – the father of Matthew Shepard – for a weekend fishing trip where they find common ground across racial, geographical and generational lines: their unconditional love for their children.

A landscape with a mountain in the background, a forest at the base, and a body of water in the foreground, under a cloudy sky.

The Dads Retreat 2024: Bangor, Maine

  • In 2024, twelve fathers gathered at Buckhorn Camps for the Dads Retreat, a powerful weekend of connection, reflection, and renewal. Three fathers from the original retreat returned, joined by nine new dads, creating an intergenerational brotherhood grounded in shared experience and mutual support.

    Set against the quiet beauty of the Maine woods, the retreat offered space to slow down, tell the truth about fatherhood, and build lasting bonds—reminding every dad there that none of us are meant to do this work alone.

A lakeside view with sandy beach and green grass. Two large trees frame the scene on either side. The lake stretches out with small waves, under a bright blue sky with scattered white clouds.

The Dads Retreat 2025: Janesville, Minnesota

  • During Pride 2025, eighteen dads and male caregivers gathered at the Metta Meditation Center, located on the serene shores of Lake Elysian, just outside Janesville, Minnesota. Over three days, we stepped away from our routines and into the tranquility of nature, allowing the lakeside trails, modest halls, and shared silence to guide our collective breath.

    Whether journaling in solitude, engaging in deep conversations, or simply sitting in stillness, each of you showed up—and that presence became your practice. From the grounded calm found in walking barefoot to the breath we shared through glances across campfires, every moment invited us to return to honesty, joy, and kinship.

    This retreat was not about escape; it was about connection: to ourselves, to one another, and to the intentional and courageous journey of caregiving for our trans and gender-expansive children. From this quiet space, seeds of new stories began to take root.

The Dads Retreat 2026: MADISON, WI

  • In May, 2026, 32 men arrived at the Bethel Horizons Retreat Center in the driftless region of Wisconsin from all over the United States, as well as Canada and Costa Rica. And during a dinner discussion, four participants tuned in remotely from San Francisco in Northern California, as well as Spain, New Zealand, and Australia. 

    Throughout the next three days, amidst laughter, tears, and deep bonding, we hiked, fished, did yoga, enjoyed silent time, and shared delicious meals. We learned from each other through workshops on topics like our relationships with our fathers, advocacy and activism, gender affirming healthcare, and self-care. One evening, we viewed The Dads film followed by a talkback with Stephen Chukumba, Executive Producer and Director of The Dads Foundation. We were even treated to a live concert from one of the dads who’s lead guitarist and vocalist in a local WI band.

    We were evenly split between 16 returning dads (second, third, or even fourth retreat!), and 16 dads new to the experience. One new dad had just learned three weeks before that his child is trans. Some dads relished the opportunities for quiet and open space to sit alone and reflect. Others could be seen constantly in the center of a group discussing widely ranging topics. The retreat even allowed the group to fine tune the new “Dad, Your Child Needs You” guide. Everyone witnessed the unconditional love we feel for our kids that was now being shared with other dads.

    By the final day, an outsider wouldn’t have been able to discern who was there for their fourth retreat from the dad who was just 3 weeks into his journey. The friendships forged, and the renewed energy generated, propelled us all to return home to continue on, knowing that while this work is difficult and never ending, it is made easier when done in community.