Ferry Beach Retreat for Memorial Day Weekend 2026
Friday, May 22nd – Monday, May 25th
First Parish in Concord & First Parish in Lexington
First Parish in Concord and First Parish in Lexington will have a retreat together at the Ferry Beach Retreat and Conference Center in Saco, Maine over Memorial Day Weekend. For many years, First Parish in Concord and First Parish in Lexington have enjoyed our retreat together. The joint 2-congregation Ferry Beach Retreat Committee is busy making plans together for our weekend!
All families register with Ferry Beach office starting April 6th.
New this year: Due to the limited spaces for folks who need accessible rooms or for families of4 or more who need to be in the same room, we will offer a Pre-Registration for these participants. If you truly need an accessible room or have a family of 4 or more, contact your coordinators now: Deb Weiner Soule or Elisabeth Jas.
Here’s some info to get you started thinking about joining this year’s retreat weekend.
The Ferry Beach campus is in Saco, Maine, right on the beach. There are a variety of housing choices, with the majority of rooms being in three dorm buildings. Bathrooms are shared in the dorms and rooms have 1- 4 beds in various configurations. There is one dorm floor that is ADA accessible. There are three cottages (houses) that can sleep 2-8 people, who decide to rent the full cottage together; three cabins that sleep 1-4, and there are four rooms that are like basic motel rooms in one building, two of which are ADA accessible (these accommodate 1-2 people). A large campground is also available for tent or RV camping. All families register with the Ferry Beach office starting April 6th.
You’ll be able to choose your lodging type and place (dorm, cabin, cottage, or camping) when it’s time to register. To see photos and layout of the campus and lodging choices, explore the website https://www.ferrybeach.org.
Activities:
The weekend is mostly an R&R weekend with ample opportunities for connecting with UUs from our three congregations. There are a number of activities planned by the joint Planning Committee and others happen organically on the spot. For example, on Saturday and Sunday evenings, there will be a Social Hour before dinner with folks gathering on the Dining Hall porch. Folks are welcome to bring wine or beer to that but must take care that only those 21 or older have some. (There is no storage for wine or beer by Ferry Beach, so you must keep it under your own control at all times.) Possible activities throughout the weekend may include a bird walk, sand structure contest, croquet tournament, volleyball, basketball, tennis, time on the beach, sitting on the big porches, Bingo, bracelet making, a very popular with all ages “Rock Talk,” scavenger hunt, playing board games, singing (bring your Rise Up Singing book and your guitar, if you like) and a campfire with s’mores. Some folks bring their bikes to explore the area or drive to nearby towns and attractions. On Sunday night there will be a Talent Show in the Gayla Theater – singing, skits, dancing, and other performances are welcome. We are a loving audience to all ages! Let the Planning Committee know if you’d like to offer an activity or help with something!