20 May 2025, Canary Wharf, London E14

Headline sponsors

With support from
Narvi
Visit Tampere
Heartwood Saunas
Saas Instruments
Harvia
Wildhut
Thermory
Standwood
Jarvi
Blythin & Brown
Tulikivi
Repowr
HUUM OU

Once again, on 20th May 2025, the UK and Ireland’s best sauna owners, operators, and ritual practitioners will gather together for the British Sauna Society’s annual event of inspiration, learning and connection.

Register for tickets: Launch 18th April

After selling out last year and getting countless messages this year, we know that the Sauna Summit will once again be in high demand. So that we can understand it and to be fair with releasing tickets, we request that people wanting to attend the summit register their interest, along with the desired number of tickets for their teams. We’ll be launching tickets to anyone signed up at noon on Friday 18th April. Tickets will be capped to 2 per person.

Our keynote speakers

More TBA

Why everyone is talking about dopamine. 

Emilia Vuorisalmi, author of The Healing Power of Hormones

Dr. Emilia Vuorisalmi is a medical doctor, actress, entrepreneur, and author of The Healing Power of Hormones. Known for her pioneering work on the science of love, stress, and well-being, she explores how hormonal balance shapes our emotions and behaviours. In her keynote, Why Everyone is Talking About Dopamine, Emilia unpacks the hype around the brain’s reward system and explores sauna’s impact on the neurotransmitters critical to our motivation, wellbeing and happiness.

Panels

More TBA

The history of sweat bathing in the British Isles.

From ancient Irish sweat houses to Victorian Turkish baths and the multicultural bathhouse traditions brought to the UK, this panel explores the rich and diverse history of sweat bathing across the British Isles. Moderated by Mikkel Aaland.

Rosanna Cooney is an award-winning journalist and author based in Dublin. Her forthcoming book, Sweathouse: The New and Ancient Irish Sauna Tradition, explores Ireland's 3,000-year-old sweat bathing heritage, uncovering the cultural and healing practices of traditional Irish sweat houses. Rosanna is also the co-founder of the Sweat House Festival, an annual event celebrating sauna culture in Ireland and Europe.

Nick Cassenbaum is a UK-based theatre maker, playwright, and performer whose work delves into Jewish identity and heritage. His acclaimed solo show, Bubble Schmeisis, is a semi-autobiographical piece centered around the Canning Town Schvitz, East London's last authentic Jewish bathhouse. Through storytelling and klezmer music, Nick brings to life the rituals and camaraderie of the schvitz, reflecting on themes of belonging and tradition.

Malcolm Shifrin is a historian and author specializing in the study of Victorian-era Turkish baths in the UK. His research sheds light on the architectural, social, and cultural significance of these establishments during the 19th century, highlighting their role in public health and leisure. Malcolm's work provides a comprehensive look at how Turkish baths became an integral part of Victorian society..

Shirley Fitzpatrick is the founder of Bosca Beatha, a mobile sauna initiative that brings the traditional Irish sweat bathing experience to contemporary audiences and co-founder of Sweat House Festival. Through Bosca Beatha, Shirley aims to reconnect communities with the ancient practices of heat therapy and communal bathing, emphasizing wellness and cultural heritage. Her work bridges the gap between historical traditions and modern-day wellness practices.

  • This award takes into account overall aesthetic design, innovation, the sustainability of all materials used in construction, and the positive reaction of clients.

  • This award takes into account the unique challenges of the built environment, innovation of setting, and the positive reaction of bathers.

  • This prize is given to the sauna that has best succeeded in capturing an experience of being close to or surrounded by the natural world.

  • This award is presented to the sauna that is located in a most beautiful waterside setting; be it sea, river or lake.

  • This award reflects the efforts made by the operator to bring the physical, mental and social health benefits of authentic sauna to a wider array of people.

  • This award is presented to the sauna who’s own community of bathers has expressed a strong sense of belonging and friendship through the public vote.

  • This award reflects the efforts made by the operator to provide a varied, exciting, and innovative programme of events and sauna experiences.

  • This award is presented to the most exciting new sauna across all categories.

  • This award is presented to the sauna master or ritual specialist who has succeeded in building a following and respect amongst bathers, expressed through the public vote.

Speakers, panellists and facilitators

Catch the highlights from Sauna Summit 2024

The Sauna Summit is a not-for-profit event organised by the British Sauna Society and run by volunteers for the benefit of the sauna industry.

Our purpose

In the past few years, sauna culture has seen explosive growth in the British Isles.

Britain and Ireland are home to close to 100 saunas accessible to general public. Most of them have grown as part of a new moment – centred around healthy lifestyle, community and nature connection.

The media have taken an unprecedented interest in the rise of sauna, with most major outlets including the BBC, The Times, The Guardian, The Economist and many more running extensive features in the past year.

Vocations like Sauna Master, Sauna Operator and Sauna Builder have emerged as real options for self-actualisation and making a living.

The sauna movement needs its own professional event, a gathering where we can upgrade our understanding, find solutions to shared challenges and make connections with each other.

This is an event for those who push the sauna movement forward – created and organised by people within the movement, who live and breathe sauna and want to share its joys and benefits with others.

About the organisers

The British Sauna Society was established in 2014 by a group of Brits and European ex-pats. They had experienced the awe of authentic sauna and wanted to connect with fellow enthusiasts and encourage more of it in the UK.

A decade later, it’s been a driving factor in a UK sauna ‘revolution’, with exponential growth of authentic sauna experiences across the UK.