you can also go back through several years of Bonnie's quiltcams
https://quiltville.blogspot.com/p/live-quiltcam.html just you and her, but fun and on your own timeline.
When I was making my Dear Jane the yahoogroup would have 3 day virtual retreats with raffles (my department), games, someone hosted uploading the blocks made, recipes, lots of off topic that wasn't the norm for the regular list.
There would be 7-800 emails in a weekend
Yes it was fun, even if it was the equivalent of olden days.
I think that happens here occasionally with a dedicated thread, but I don't know anything about those.
Good luck! I never had a good experience at a retreat, so don't even bother any more.