Bundle up, then strip down \u2014 it\u2019s about to get hot.<\/p>\n
The largest sauna village ever staged in the US has taken over the Williamsburg waterfront, and you can get in on the sweaty, steamy, communal fun.<\/p>\n
Open through March 1, the Culture of Bathe-ing<\/a> invites New Yorkers to hit pause and partake in one of humanity\u2019s oldest rituals in the heart of a fast-paced modern metropolis.<\/p>\n Culture of Bathe-ing runs from Feb. 12 through March 1 in Williamsburg.<\/p>\n And the timing couldn\u2019t be better. A wave of social bathhouses has taken over the city in recent years, as health-conscious Gen Zers and millennials<\/a> turn to global wellness traditions for new ways to connect and unwind \u2014 with a uniquely American twist.<\/p>\n \u201cSo many cultures have their own, very distinct style of bathing,\u201d Robert Hammond<\/a>, founder of the festival and president of Therme Group US, told The Post. \u201cFinland has saunas, there\u2019s onsen in Japan and jjimjilbangs in Korea.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s happening is that the US is taking all of those parts and making something completely new,\u201d he continued. \u201cCulture of Bathe-ing is showcasing all of that.\u201d<\/p>\n The three-week \u201cpublic bathing and cultural experience\u201d is set in Domino Park, where you can work up a sweat while gazing out at the icy East River.\u00a0<\/p>\n Guests check in and swap their winter gear for swimsuits and sandals in the locker rooms, as seasoned sauna-goers pull on bell-shaped felt bucket hats to protect their heads, ears and hair from overheating.<\/p>\n The festival features 15 saunas for guests to explore.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019re suited up, the sweating begins. <\/p>\n The festival boasts 15 architecturally unique saunas \u2014 from an intimate airstream trailer to a sleek 70-person chamber \u2014 each dialed to a different temperature so you can pick your perfect level of heat. <\/p>\n And it\u2019s not just saunas. Culture of Bathe-ing partnered with Brooklyn\u2019s Pioneer Works to curate a diverse lineup of programming.<\/p>\n In one sauna, you might join a coaching session for breathwork<\/a> and laughter. In another, you\u2019ll find guided meditation<\/a> and bodywork exercises.<\/p>\n Sauna masters from around the world lead sessions at Culture of Bathe-ing, including traditional aufguss rituals. Therme Group US<\/p>\n Throughout the day, there are also several rounds of aufguss<\/a>, a German ritual where sauna masters toss ice infused with essential oils like lavender, bergamot and sandalwood onto hot rocks, generating a sudden rush of fragrant steam.<\/p>\n From there, the masters prance around the sauna, twirling and waving towels or fans in rhythmic movements set to music. It\u2019s part performance, part heat therapy, often generating cheers from the crowd of sweaty onlookers.<\/p>\n After an aufguss ritual, guests may be eager to cool off. <\/p>\n A 37-degree cold plunge is available on site for the brave, but in New York\u2019s frigid winter weather, you\u2019ll get plenty of contrast therapy<\/a> just by darting between saunas. <\/p>\n The mood at Culture of Bathe-ing evolves throughout the day, offering different experiences as it goes on. Hannah Turner Harts\/BFA.com<\/p>\n In the Event Tent, you can cool down, rehydrate, mingle with other sauna lovers and take part in cultural programming, including author talks, immersive art experiences, musical performances and tea ceremonies.<\/p>\n The festival runs daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., with ticket prices ranging from $60 to $125 depending on the time slot. Each booking includes a two-hour sauna stint, with the vibes shifting as the day heats up.<\/p>\n Morning sessions are calm and restorative, while afternoons get more social. By nighttime, it\u2019s an all-out sauna party \u2014 just the kind of scene New Yorkers crave.<\/p>\n Across the city, young people are increasingly ditching booze-fueled bar nights<\/a> for wellness-centered, alcohol-free hangouts. Think sauna club nights, comedy shows<\/a> and sober raves \u2014 all set at a toasty 150 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.<\/p>\n The festival comes amid a bathing boom in New York, with young people flocking to social sauna spaces. Therme Group US<\/p>\n Hammond, who also co-founded The High Line<\/a>, says the trend started picking up steam during the COVID pandemic, when two shifts happened at once.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople became much more conscious about their health,\u201d he said, \u201cand the science behind sauna shows it\u2019s one of the healthiest things you can do.\u201d<\/p>\n The benefits are especially big for the heart. In 2018, scientists at\u00a0Eastern Finland University<\/a>\u00a0found that the more time people spent in saunas, the\u00a0less likely they were to die<\/a> of diseases affecting the heart or blood vessels. <\/p>\n Just two or three sessions per week cut heart attack and stroke risk by 25%, while four to seven sessions reduced the risk by 77%.<\/p>\n Another study that same year determined that sitting in a sauna could be as\u00a0beneficial as moderate exercise<\/a>.<\/p>\n Other\u00a0research<\/a>\u00a0has tied sauna use to longevity,\u00a0brain<\/a>\u00a0function,\u00a0improved sleep<\/a>, boosted\u00a0immunity<\/a>\u00a0and \u2014 for older women \u2014\u00a0slower weight gain<\/a>.<\/p>\n However, saunas aren\u2019t recommended for everyone. Culture of Bathe-ing advises that people who are pregnant or who have heart conditions, respiratory issues, heat sensitivity or other medical concerns should consult a healthcare professional before attending the fest.<\/p>\n Culture of Bathe-ing features more than 1,000 guided sessions over its three-week run. Hannah Turner Harts\/BFA.com<\/p>\n Beyond the physical benefits, Hammond also pointed to another advantage that became especially important after the lockdown era: Connection.<\/p>\n Across the city, more than half of residents report feeling lonely<\/a> at least some of the time, and that isolation can have real consequences for health<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cSaunas are a place you can go and meet people while you\u2019re almost feeling high \u2014 but then you feel better the next morning,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019re not hungover or unwell.\u201d<\/p>\n And honestly? He\u2019s not wrong. <\/p>\n After three hours at Culture of Bathe-ing, I slept better than I have in months \u2014 and my coworker even said my skin was glowing when I walked into the office the next day. <\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t