The Saunaverse - Sauna Festival
Sat 18 Feb 2023 10:00 AM - Sun 19 Feb 2023 10:00 PM
The Baths, E9 5JH
Description
Sauna Festival
18/19th Feb 2023
Hackney Wick, London
Welcome to The Saunaverse 🪐🔥💦
The Event
The UK’s first ever Sauna Festival is coming to Hackney Wick! The Saunaverse has teamed up with the Hackney Wick Community Sauna Baths to celebrate all things hot and cold. Fill your ladles to the brim for 12 hours of unlimited wood fired sauna and hot tub, cold plunge, music, dance, workshops, performance, and more.
UK sauna culture is booming. Wim Hof brought cold water therapy to the British zeitgeist and the time is now to turn up the heat as the UK defines its own Sweat Bathing culture.
The Saunaverse invites you to float away in a cloud of steam, or Löyly as the Finns refer to it. Grab yourself a sauna hat and take your pick of our ten unique wood fired mobile saunas. After getting your sweat on it’s time to cool off in our ice cold plunge pools, and then you’re ready for another round of heat.
Curated for total newbies and experienced saunaheads alike, bathers can expect to step into a wonderland of hot and cold as you cycle between our beautiful unique saunas, plunging into icy water between rounds, before grabbing a beer and dancing the night away to our favourite bands and DJs.
The Ethos
All bodies are welcome in The Saunaverse and we celebrate you from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. Certain areas of the festival will be clearly marked as clothing optional to allow you to enjoy an unencumbered sauna experience, whilst in others we’ll ask you to cover below the waist with swimwear. We expect our guests to respect these boundaries at all times.
Unfortunately sauna and booze have a notoriously rocky relationship and are not best mixed. Alcohol will be on sale during the festival and we advise you finish your sauna before you crack a cold one. Ice cold beers can be enjoyed around the fire, in the hot tub or on the dancefloor, but we ask that you stick to soft drinks in the sauna themselves. Our first aiders and volunteers will be present to ensure that those enjoying the sauna are not intoxicated.
We operate a Zero Tolerance policy to harassment, abuse and aggression. Everyone has the right to enjoy the heat without being made to feel uncomfortable or unsafe and our volunteers and security team will be on hand to uphold this at all times. Welfare officers will be easily recognisable through their fluorescent yellow armbands and will be your first port of call for any concerns.
The Saunaverse is a non-sexual event and we are passionate about breaking the association of Sauna with the sex scene in the UK. Authentic sauna is a bathing ritual enjoyed by all ages, genders and beliefs without sexual association. No sexual conduct will be tolerated and the team will be on hand to maintain a safe space at all times. All guests will be required to agree to a consent statement on entry confirming that they understand and agree that anything other than a ‘Hell Yes!’ is a ‘No’, whether it’s a sweaty hug, whisking ritual or shoulder rub.
The team will work with anyone with accessibility needs to ensure you can access and enjoy the festival, please get in touch directly with info@saunaverse.co.uk to discuss how we can support you.
The Saunaverse is proud to be supporting Sauna Aid, by donating 1% of ticket sales to this remarkable organisation, and inviting guests to donate further online.
Who we are
The Saunaverse is a brand new multi-disciplinary organisation born out of a flourishing love affair with UK sauna. Our aim is to elevate accessible and authentic sauna by curating experiences, education, and research. It is brought to you by the team behind Treehouse AF, Oxfordshire's most unique festival centred around Tom’s magnificent treehouse. The Saunaverse bucks the trend of stuffy gym saunas to champion quality, authentic Finnish sauna.
The team believes in the multitude of sauna benefits for body and mind. In a chaotic world dominated by digital interactions, dopamine-inducing filters and swipes, The Saunaverse believes in bringing social interaction squarely back into the real world.
Our partners, the Hackney Community Sauna Baths, are at the heart of the UK sauna revolution. Since launching in December 2021 as a Community Interest Company the team have done a remarkable job in pioneering mobile sauna culture in London. Housed in the grounds of The Baths, a Victorian Bath House, the site now has five beautiful wood fired saunas open six days a week and playing host to over 400 guests every week.
Sauna Protocol
A few hints and tips from our Sauna Masters to help you make (and stay) friends in the sauna:
Shut the door, shut the door, shut the door! We can’t emphasise this enough! Heat and steam are our precious commodities and leaving the door open whilst you chatter to a friend is a sure fire way to upset your fellow bathers.
Check in with your fellow sauna goers before throwing water on the stones or adding essential oils to the water.
Wear a hat. As strange as it might sound, thick wool sauna hats provide a insulative layer to keep your head cooler in the sauna.
When pouring water on the rocks, start on the far side of the stove to prevent the rising steam burning your hand.
Shower before you plunge.
Sit on a towel whilst in the sauna.
Take it easy on the booze
Sauna Glossary
Sauna culture has a whole lexicon of weird and wonderful terms (mostly Finnish words) that you might not have heard of before. We’ve got your back when it comes to learning the lingo:
- Löyly: The Finnish word for the hot steam that results from throwing water on the rocks.
- Aufguss: The German sauna ritual involving artistic towel waving to move hot steam around the sauna.
- Löylykauha: Scoop/Ladle
- Vihtas/Whisk: A bundle of young tree twigs, often birch or oak, used to deliver whisking massage
- Whisking: The process of (lightly) whacking your friend with a Vihtas/Whisk to promote blood circulation and clean the skin.
- Round: A single session of hot and cold (sauna and plunge)
- Savusauna: Traditional Finnish smoke sauna
- Banya: Russian steam bath
- Sauna Head: The propensity to be forgetful after a sauna session
- Infrared sauna: Categorically NOT a sauna, don’t be fooled otherwise.
FAQs
What should I bring?
Photo ID
Two towels (one to sit on in the sauna (can be smaller) and one to dry off with.
Swimwear
Pools sliders/ flip flops
Water bottle
Plastic bag for taking home wet belongings
Bathrobe (optional)
Sauna hat (optional)
Can I have a refund, or transfer my ticket?
Unfortunately we can’t offer refunds or cancellations on tickets purchased. However you are welcome to transfer your ticket to a friend. A valid ticket QR code and photo ID be required for entry to the festival.
Where can I leave my valuables/belongings?
A free cloakroom will be in operation throughout the event to securely store your belongings.
Can I bring my dog/cat/gerbil?
Sorry, sauna and pets doesn’t mix well. This is a strictly human only event.
Can I bring my kids?
Whilst children often spend time in the sauna in Finland, and some are even born in the sauna, this is an 18+ event. Photo ID will be required for entry, and at the bar.
What food and drink will be on offer?
We’ll have a fully stocked bar offering both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Free tap water will be available throughout the event. The Baths will be serving a delicious selection of veggie meals and snack and Kane’s wood fired pizza truck offers handmade sourdough pizzas.
Who will be performing?
We've got an incredible lineup of local DJs, bands and performers. Check the festival insta for the full lineup announcements @thesaunaverse
How do I get there?
The address is: The Baths 80, Eastway, London E9 5JH
We’re a 10 minute walk from Hackney Wick tube station and there are several bus stops outside the venue.
Does a ticket include both days?
Individual Saturday or Sunday tickets are available, as well as full weekend tickets.
Can I volunteer?
Yes please! A 6 hour volunteer shift gets you a free weekend ticket, please email info@saunaverse.co.uk to express your interest.
Can I perform?
We’re looking for an eclectic range of DJs, bands and performers to entertain our guests. Our lineup is already pretty full but please email infosaunaverse.co.uk to see if you’re a good fit.
I can’t afford a ticket, can I still come?
We know times are difficult and we don’t want price to be a barrier to anyone enjoying Sauna. We have a number of Low Income tickets available. Please email info@saunaverse.co.uk with a brief description of your circumstances to discuss eligibility. All enquiries will be dealt with in complete confidentiality.
Can I take my clothes off? Can I keep my clothes on?
Certain bathing cultures insist on nudity whilst inside the sauna, whilst others ensure bathers are covered at all times. All genders are welcome to ‘free the nip’ above the waist at all times and certain saunas and areas of the festival will be allocated as below the waist ‘clothing optional’ and ‘clothing essential.’
I had a horrible sauna experience, should I still come?
Chances are, your horrible experience was due to a poor excuse for a sauna, most likely squeezed into the back of a gym with a poorly powered electric stove and little-to-no ventilation. We assure you that our authentic wood fired saunas are a completely different experience and we’re confident you’ll be a convert for life! Even if we can’t change your mind, we’ll have a lot more than just sauna to keep you entertained. Enjoyed the wood fired hot tub, grab a beer next to the open fire, or boogie the night away.
Location
The Baths, E9 5JH