The Thoreau Society has been celebrating its Annual Gathering since its founding in 1941. Thoreau Society members and enthusiasts from around the world gather in Concord each year around the time of Thoreau’s birthday on July 12.
Our Keynote speakers have featured a diverse group of individuals, all inspired by Thoreau in some way, such as Joyce Carol Oates, Arun Gandhi, and Edward O. Wilson. Milestones marked by Annual Gatherings include the discovery of the Walden cabin by Roland Robbins in 1944, the first open house of the Thoreau Institute in 1998, and the celebration of the 200th Anniversary of Thoreau’s birth in 2017.
We look forward to seeing you in Concord in 2025, amid the multi-year celebration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. We will gather again at Trinity Episcopal Church for the conference.
We are delighted to have Camilly Dungy joining us to deliver the Dana Brigham Keynote Lecture.
Other Highlights from the 2025 program include:
- Featured opening night speaker Peter Wirzbicki
- Sneak Preview of the forthcoming Henry David Thoreau documentary and a discussion with the directors.
- Performance of “Thoreau” movement from Charles Ives’s Second Pianoforte Sonata (Concord, Mass., 1840–60)
- And over 75 presentations exploring the theme of Thoreau’s Revolutions.
Registration is open for both in-person and virtual attendance. Please reach out to the office at info@thoreausociety.org or 978-369-5321 with any questions.
Given the high number of visitors expected in Concord next year, we suggest you book your accommodations early. Group blocks have been arranged at the following hotels:
Concord’s Colonial Inn, 48 Monument Square, Concord, MA 01742 (1 mile to Trinity Episcopal Church)
Reservations: 800.370.9200 – Mention the Thoreau Society when booking to take advantage of reduced rates.
www.concordscolonialinn.com
Residence Inn by Marriott, 320 Baker Avenue Extension, Concord, MA 01742 (1.6 miles to Trinity Episcopal)
978-341-0003
Book your stay with this link for the group rate
The submission deadline for conference proposals has passed.
2024: Thoreau & Resilience
In 2024, the Annual Gathering examined Thoreau and resilience writ large — nature’s resilience, Thoreau’s pursuit of cultural and political resilience, the resilient individual who was Thoreau, and the resilience of Thoreau’s legacy in our own times.
Highlights included the following:
Dana S. Brigham Memorial Keynote Lecture: “Thoreau’s Threshold: Temporal Imagination as Public Good”
“The Durable Texts: Editing Thoreau”
“A Conversation: Personal Stories of Thoreauvian Resilience”