Monday 1 June 2026 · Brighton Dome

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British Sauna Summit 2026 is British Sauna Society’s flagship professional gathering, a one-day conference bringing together people shaping the future of sauna in the UK and beyond.

Programme for Monday 1st June 2026

Morning

08:30 - 09:30 Arrivals, registration, tea and coffee.

09:30 - 09:40 Welcome to Brighton: The Origin Story by Liz Watson, Co-founder, Beach Box Brighton & Katie Bracher, Co-founder, Beach Box Brighton & Founder, Wild Spa Wowo, Bethany Wells Founder WARMTH sauna project and WARMTH Community Sauna.

09:40 - 10:00 Welcome remarks & Fireside Chat: Bringing a slice of Finnish happiness to the UK by Teemu Turunen, Finnish Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

What will Sauna Culture look like in 2030? Introduced by Barry Sykes.

10:00 - 10.20 Opening Keynote: Manchester, Glasgow & Beyond by Prof. David Russell, CEO, Therme UK.

10:20 - 10.30 Keynote Presentation: Sauna Sessions Arts Club @ Edinburgh Festival by Lucy Osborne, Studio 360.

10:30 - 11:00 Panel Discussion: Big Ideas — What does sauna look like in 2030? with Prof. David Russell, CEO Therme UK, Lucy Osborne, Studio 360, Olly Davey, Heartwood Sauna, Jake Newport, Finnmark, Moderated by Don Genders, Design for Leisure.

11:00 - 11.05 Here to support: Growing with the British Sauna Society, Deborah Carr, Gabrielle Reason & Mark Lamb — Directors, British Sauna Society.

Break: coffee, tea & networking (11:05–11:45)

11:45 - 11.50 Sauna Aid: A 24-Hour Build by Tom de Wilton, Saunaverse · Wendy Liu, BSS Co-founder · Mikkel Aaland, Founder, Sauna Aid.

11:50 - 12.30 Keynote Presentation: Hotwired — The Hidden Power of Heat Makes Us Stronger by Bill Gifford, New York Times bestselling author. Introduced by & in conversation with Emma O'Kelly, author of Sauna: The Power of Deep Heat & Wild Sauna.

12:30 - 12.55 Keynote Presentation: The New Culture of Bathing by Adam Bamba Tanaka, Chief Operating Officer, Therme Group US.

12:55 - 13.15 Rintala Eggertsson Architects, Norway, Sami Rintala, Architect,Rintala Eggertsson Architects & Co-Founder, Lowlu.

Lunch & Networking (13:15–14:15)

Afternoon: Breakout Sessions

14:15–15:10

Main Theatre: Sauna's Role in Mental Health with Nick Tettersell, Sauna Master of the Year 2025, Rachael McGrath, social prescribing and sauna, Shaun Wood, Founder Space for Hue, Joel Lawton, IceBreakers Brighton, and moderated by Tim Bowles, Founder, Campwell.

Studio Theatre: Widening Access to Sauna Through the Health System with Kate Rawson, Sauna Host and Founder of Sauna Pause, Dr Gillian Stokes, Associate Professor of Inclusive Research, UCL & Founder, Sauna Mamas, Dr Henry Aughterson, Social Prescribing PhD, UCL, Dr Jane Packer, GP & Specialist in Lifestyle Medicine & Chronic Pain, Moderated by Gabrielle Reason, British Sauna Society.

Short break (15:10–15:20)

15:20–16:15

Main Theatre: Raising the Heat: Skills and the Future of Sauna Professionals with Birutė Masiliauskienė, International Bath Academy, Joan Scott, Chair of HABIA, Jo Caley, Co-Owner of Tuhka Talo Saunas, Monika Klavins, International Sauna Master and moderated by Deborah Carr, British Sauna Society.

Studio Theatre: Start Up to Success: Learnings from Fast-Growth Sauna Operators with Max Newport, Technical Director of Finnmark, Charlie Duckworth, Director of Community Sauna Baths, Nikki Tesla, Co-founder of Sauna Social Club, Alex Lazarev, Founder of Bath House, and moderated by Robin Bartlett, Founder of Sea Scrub Sauna.

Short break (16:15–16:30)

16:30 - 17.15 Thanks and British Sauna Society update from Deborah Carr, Gabrielle Reason & Mark Lamb, British Sauna Society Directors.

Sauna Summit Awards 2026, Presented by Päivi Juolahti, Harvia.

Closing remarks by Jake Newport, Finnmark.

Evening

18:00 till late Evening sauna party at Sauna village on Brighton Beach.

With support from
Urban Ice Tribe
Blythin & Brown

From grassroots to mainstream:
The rapid evolution of British sauna culture.

Set within the iconic Brighton Dome, the British Sauna Summit returns this year as the UK’s leading gathering for the sauna and bathing community - a dynamic, ideas-led day bringing together operators, practitioners, designers, researchers, policymakers, and cultural leaders shaping the future of the sector.

Supported by key sponsor Finnmark Sauna, and with a curated exhibition space featuring leading voices, suppliers and businesses from across the industry, the Summit offers a rare opportunity to connect face to face, learn, and experience the breadth of the UK sauna movement in one place.

A day of insight, exchange & inspiration.

This year’s programme brings together international perspectives, scientific insight, and cultural depth, with headline keynote from Bill Gifford, New York Times bestselling author of Hotwired: How the Hidden Power of Heat Makes Us Stronger, exploring the transformative power of heat for health, resilience, and performance.

Joining him is Adam Bamba Tanaka, fresh from the Culture of Bathe-ing Festival in New York, alongside a series of international panels and leading UK voices shaping the next chapter of sauna.

Shaping the future of sauna.

Across a curated programme of talks, panels, and interactive sessions - informed directly by the priorities of British Sauna Society members - the Summit will explore:

  • The rapid growth of sauna in the UK and how the sector can scale with integrity

  • The role of sauna in public health, mental wellbeing, social connection and community.

  • From concept to reality: how to create and sustain a successful sauna offering

  • Sauna rituals, programming, and training - and how collaboration is shaping evolving standards

  • Heritage and evolution - connecting global traditions with contemporary UK practice

More than a conference, the Summit creates space for meaningful exchange, shared learning, and collective alignment at a pivotal moment for the industry. 

Beyond the talks.

The day reveals the winners of the legendary Sauna Awards, celebrating excellence and innovation across the UK sauna scene.

From there, the experience continues: all ticket holders are invited to a private Brighton Sauna Festival beach session, followed by an evening celebration and party - bringing the community together in true Brighton style.

This is a moment to connect with peers, meet collaborators, and be part of a growing movement redefining how we experience heat, water, and wellbeing in the UK.

Our keynote speakers.

How the hidden power of heat makes us stronger.

Bill Gifford, Author of Hotwired

Bill Gifford is an author and science journalist whose work explores the science of ageing, health, and human performance. He is the co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Outlive and the author of Spring Chicken: Stay Young Forever (or Die Trying). His latest book, Hotwired: How the Hidden Power of Heat Makes Us Stronger, investigates how heat exposure shapes human biology, drawing on research, personal experimentation, and global sauna culture to explore its role in performance, resilience, and long-term health.

In his keynote, Bill explores the emerging science behind heat, from cardiovascular and mental health to human adaptation, offering a grounded perspective on what practices like sauna might mean for how we live, age, and connect.

The new Culture of Bathing.

Adam Bamba Tanaka, Chief Operating Officer, Therme Group US

Adam Bamba Tanaka is an urban strategist bridging the worlds of wellness, entertainment, and urban development. Through his work with Therme Group and its Culture of Bathe-ing platform – which spans B2B events, public sauna festivals, cultural programming, and Substack and social content – Adam champions the resurgence of communal bathing as a social, cultural, and preventative health practice, bringing together operators, architects, and community builders shaping the future of the field.

In this keynote, Adam shares insights from America’s rapidly growing sauna scene, including pop-up sauna villages and experimental formats that position bathing as cultural infrastructure. He explores the rise of the “art house bathhouse” and what it reveals about how heat, water, and shared space are being reimagined in cities today.

Speakers, panellists and facilitators.

Sauna Awards 2026

With thanks to our sponsor:
Find out more

Getting there.

Brighton Dome
Church Street, Brighton, BN1 1UE

Travel Options

Brighton is well connected by rail, with direct trains from London, Gatwick Airport, and across the South East.

Brighton Station is around a 10 minute walk from the venue, or a short taxi ride.

Gatwick Airport is approximately 30 minutes away by train, with regular direct services.

If travelling by car, there are several public car parks in central Brighton, though spaces can be limited and expensive, especially on weekends. Public transport is recommended where possible.

Accommodation.

VisitBrighton is the official accommodation partner for Sauna Summit 2026. There are a range of hotels in Brighton are available at specially negotiated rates for attendees.

Bookings are open until 21 May 2026, though we recommend securing your stay early to ensure availability. Rooms can be booked, amended, or cancelled directly through the booking platform.

View Accommodation Options
 

Catch the highlights from British Sauna Summit 2025.