Aufguss World Masters:
USA Nationals 2025
June 23-24 at Bathhouse, Williamsburg, NYC
Sauna masters/performers who qualify at the Nationals will be part of Team USA at the September 2025 Aufguss-WM finals taking place in Verona, Italy!
Get Ready for the First-Ever Aufguss-WM USA National Event
Dates: June 23-24, 2025
Location: Bathhouse, Williamsburg, NYC
Cost: Day-Pass Price to Bathhouse
Watch top sauna masters compete in Solo and Team categories in this theatrical, multisensory wellness experience. Steam, scents and serious showmanship await!
Buy Tickets
Don’t miss the first-ever U.S. competition celebrating the Art of Aufguss. Ticket price is a Bathhouse Day-Pass for June 23-24. Your Bathhouse Day-Pass will include:
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Guaranteed access to one competitive Aufguss performance
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The chance to queue for additional competitive sessions, space permitting
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Classic Aufguss ritual performances happening in a second sauna, featuring the same incredible lineup of competitors
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Full access to all of Bathhouse’s amenities—hot and cold pools, steam room, banya, and a rooftop pool with sweeping views of the NYC skyline
Tickets are limited and expected to go fast. Get yours now—first come, first served.
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What Is Aufguss?
Aufguss is a sauna ritual that lasts about 15 minutes, offering a multisensory wellness experience. During the session, an Aufguss master skillfully uses water, ice and towel techniques to distribute heat throughout the sauna. Essential oils, music and rhythmic movements enhance the atmosphere, creating a deeply immersive and revitalizing experience.
About Bathhouse
Bathhouse opened its first location in Williamsburg 2019 and became an instant mainstay with Brooklyn sauna-goers. The first to bring Aufguss sessions to New York City audiences, Bathhouse has established itself as a go-to destination for a modern sauna experience. Home to a 700 sq ft sauna with a full sound and lighting package, makes the Aufguss at Bathhouse impossible to forget.
What Is Show Aufguss?
Show (or performance) Aufguss elevates the traditional ritual into a theatrical performance. The Aufguss master crafts a unique story using music, lighting, and aromatic infusions to transport guests on a sensory journey.
Over 10–14 minutes, different scents burst from the sauna stones, releasing waves of steam that are expertly guided over bathers using towels or fans. The heat can be soothing or intense, building in rhythm with the performance. As the steam condenses on the skin, it creates a brief yet exhilarating heat sensation. With each movement, the blend of heat, aroma, and artistry intensifies, making for a wellness experience that is as electrifying as it is relaxing.
What Is Aufguss WM?
The Aufguss World Championships (or Aufguss World Masters, aka Aufguss-WM) have been held since 2015. Until recently, the competition was very European-centric. Today, eighteen countries participate, including Japan, Canada and the USA.
Get an inside look: read this Spa Business article written by a US spectator of the 2024 Aufguss World Masters.
Why Compete?
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Represent your spa or sauna community on the national stage
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Compete for international recognition
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Be known as one of the USA’s top Aufguss artists
Rules & Regulations
Competitors must be US citizens or sauna masters who have worked at a US facility for at least one year to qualify. Serious sauna masters interested in learning about what's required for competition in an Aufguss WM event should visit Aufguss WM's website to download the 2025 Jury Evaluation Catalogue.
Those interested in receiving specialized Show Aufguss training can get in touch for a list of specialized Aufguss World Masters trainers.