Arcadia
A spiritual retreat for Queer Pagan Men
and our Allies.
March 20-22, 2026
Theme to be announced soon.
This year’s Arcadia retreat is in-person at a campground in Cumberland, VA.
A weekend of Pagan exploration, Queer sensibility, and male bonding in an open, participatory, safe and sacred space.
Weekend Facilitator: Mel Mystery
Mel is an eclectic Hellenistic Druid with a little bit of Norse thrown in. Mel publishes the “Mysterious Ways” cyberzine for Queer Pagan men; hosts the “Discovering the Male Mysteries” podcast for gay and bi Pagan men, and is involved in planning both the Arcadia and the Brotherhood by the Bog Retreats. Mel is author of the book “The Gay Guy’s Guide to Werewolves and Other Man Beasts.” He has a couple of other books in the works. His long-term plan is to found a private campground for alternative communities who often feel marginalized and unsafe in public and mainstream campgrounds.
Those who dwell in Arcadia seek out that secret Eden because of its isolation from the troubled world and its safety from the arrogant demands of those who would deny freedom, curtail human action, and destroy innocence and love.
Byrne R.S. Fone