Would You Go to a Sauna Concert? These Spas Are Banking on It

My cheeks were flushed, but not just from the 185-degree Fahrenheit heat of the sauna. I was sitting in the new BASIN Glacial Waters spa at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise where Kyan, a young Dutchman with flowy blonde hair, stood shirtless in front of me. A sheen of sweat had covered his abs, making them appear sculpted like a super hero as he theatrically waved a towel, wafting hot steam towards me. I tried to distract myself by gazing out the large picture window framing the snow-capped Canadian Rockies and sparkling Lake Louise. But Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito” blared over the speakers, and Kyan began dancing about the spacious room, swirling his towel overhead and pausing only to fan the 20 some guests seated around the room.Aufgussmeisters—or sauna masters— orchestrate the 15-minute steam and sweat ritual at BASIN Glacial Waters at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, pictured. Courtesy FairmontAs the soundtrack changed to Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie” he started smashing snowballs filled with aromatic oils over the scorching sauna stones, releasing scents of Siberian fir and forest berries. Between the blaring music, the alpine-views, the heat, and now these heady aromas, the experience was a complete sensory overload that we all enjoyed together, swaying to the music. When it ended, Kyan thanked us and encouraged us to rehydrate and, if we were bold enough, try the cold plunge. I left feeling invigorated and entertained.Kyan is one of six trained aufgussmeisters—or sauna masters— who orchestrate the15-minute steam and sweat ritual at BASIN Glacial Waters at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. The thermal bathing retreat, which opened in September 2025, offers a multitude of hydrotherapy experiences, from a Kneipp walk and hydro pool to Finnish and bio saunas. But the signature aufguss ceremony included in every three-hour session is the experience guests line up for.The idea of soaking and sweating together is hardly new. The Romans had their thermae, the Japanese communed in onsens, and Native American tribes gathered in sweat lodges. In Nordic countries, saunas have long served as social hubs—gathering places where friends and strangers would sweat it out and reconnect. “In many countries around the world, sauna use—particularly traditional sauna—is aligned with that county's cultural aspects, and community is an important part of that,” said Dr. Christopher Minson, a professor of human physiology at the University of Oregon. “Engagement with others in sauna practice develops social bonds, accountability, and a sense of belonging. These aspects can improve both physical and psychological health outcomes by increasing long-term engagement in sauna use.”Longevity-obsessed North Americans, including myself, initially jumped on the sauna bandwagon for its long touted health and recovery benefits. Research has shown regular sauna use can improve blood pressure, cholesterol and reduce stress and help with inflammation and muscle soreness. Sauna with others, however, and the benefits increase. According to a 2026 study, collective sauna rituals significantly improve mental and physical wellbeing by fostering social connection and community belonging.Only recently have Canadians and Americans embraced saunas socially. “The reason it’s taken off in North America is because so many people are feeling overstimulated, isolated, and disconnected, and these spaces offer a rare opportunity to feel present with yourself and with others in real life again,” said Amanda Laine, co-founder of Othership, a bathhouse with locations in New York and Toronto.Othership's locations in the US and Canada are embracing the trend, which has emerged as an alternative to bars or clubs. Ian PattersonThe spa chain's cofounder says sauna experiences are taking off as a "rare opportunity to feel present with yourself and with others in real life again.” Ian PattersonMy previous experience of saunas had always been solitary. At gyms or spas, people were encouraged to be quiet or keep voices to a whisper. I would stare at the sand timer on the wall willing it to empty faster. But during the aufguss ceremony at BASIN Glacial Waters, people smiled and laughed and swayed to the music, and Kyan’s dance-like towel moves distracted me from the discomfort of the heat.“Bringing entertainment into the sauna makes the experience a joint one,” said Robert Hammond, president of Therme US, part of the Therme Group that operates spas across Europe, Asia, and Canada, and has bathhouse projects planned in Dallas and Washington, DC, “The heat pushes you toward euphoria, and having a shared focus, like a performer, makes connection that much easier.”The Fontainebleau Las Vegas puts on one of the steamiest shows on the strip in its 350-square foot, 40 person event sauna. The resort employs ten certified Aufgussmeisters who put on a total of eight, 15-minute shows a day, which blend aromatherapy, choreographed towel movements, and vivid imagery projected onto a 110-inch screen. “Our daily ceremonies are consistently full, and for many guests, it becomes the defining moment of their stay,” said Ashley Tullo, Fontainebleau’s wellness activations specialist.The Vegas-twist on aufguss exemplifies the growing sauna entertainment trend in In North America. Traditional aufguss ceremonies now include light shows and AV-driven theatrics and saunas have turned into the venue for everything from DJ-fueled raves to guest speakers delivering sweaty talks in a Speedo and sauna hat. Tordrillo Mountain Lodge in Alaska has taken sauning to the extreme, transporting its AlpenSauna via helicopter to remote locations with amazing views, like near a crystal-clear pool on the Triumvirate Glacier in the middle of a 28-mile ice field, high on a remote summit with an alpine lake and views of Denali. Between sweat sessions, guests can plunge in glacial water pools and enjoy chef-prepared bits and even cocktail service.While traditionalists balk, Hammond says it makes sense that North Americans are putting their own spin on these traditions. “They're creating new rituals that feel distinctively American,” he says. Experimentation was on full display at the Therme Group’s first-ever Culture of Bathe-ing sauna festival, which took place earlier this year in Brooklyn. Day-to-night programming included everything from aromatherapy sauna sessions led by herbalists to live dance performances “Listening to public talks in a sauna is a completely different experience,” said Hammond. “There’s almost a haze over everything they say, so it’s not about absorbing everything they say, but about the energy they create with their words.”The events can double as bookable options for events like Bachelorette parties and corporate retreats. RecessGeoff McLean, co-founder of Everwild Nordic Spas & Hotels, says group bookings, ranging from birthdays and bachelorette weekends to team off-sites, have been wildly popular at the Nordic Spa at Everwild Canmore hotel in Alberta, Canada, which debuted last November. A 42-person event sauna is the social heart of the venue and hosts three signature rituals throughout the day, including a ceremony called the Fire Chinook, a high-heat high-energy, group movement session set to music and the Silent Chinook, a meditative experience enhanced with aromatherapy, plus special events like sauna raves.McLean says event saunas will feature prominently at Everwild’s forthcoming properties in the Canadian towns of Fernie, Banff, and Harmony. The Banff hotel will include a rooftop event sauna with 360-degree views over the national park, and Harmony will have a floating sauna on its own dock with lake cold plunge, as well an 80-plus person event sauna.Recess Thermal Station in Montreal offers sauna sound baths. RecessThe trend is only heating up, with more social spa spaces opening in the US next year. RecessIn cities, social sauna venues, like Recess Thermal Station in Montreal, and Othership, have emerged as an alternative to more traditional boozy gathering spots like bars or clubs. Othership’s sauna events range from comedy nights and singles socials to tarot readings and a shabbat social schvitz. “People are craving real connection,” said co-founder Laine. “Saunas naturally create that. You slow down, put your phone away, and share a physical experience with other people. At Othership, the sauna is more than a place for recovery, it’s a place for emotional release, conversation, music, and community.”When Submersive, a 20,000-square-foot bathhouse from the co-founder of immersive art company Meow Wolf, opens in Austin next summer, it will raise the bar for social saunas by integrating immersive art and modern neuroscience into the experience. The project has so much hype, there’s already a waitlist, proof that the social sauna trend is only heating up.