19th - 21st September 2025
Tromøya, Arendal
Welcome to the sea and the heat!
Badstufest 2025 is a collaboration between the Norwegian Sauna Association and a group of sauna operators from southern Norway. The festival is a celebration of Norwegian sauna culture, and it’s a great excuse to bring together people who truly love sauna, nature, and good vibes for a warm autumn weekend by the sea.
A hot autumn weekend by the sea
Badstufest is a festival concept from the Norwegian Sauna Association, first held in Valdres in 2021. In 2024, Badstufest took place for the first time on Tromøya in Arendal, which will also be the location for 2025.
Over 120 sauna enthusiasts from Norway and abroad had the chance to experience a wide variety of saunas – from tent and mobile saunas, to forest and seaside saunas – all while making new friends and enjoying great times together.
At Badstufest, we have a mobile sauna village at the Hove basecamp. On Saturday afternoon, a sauna-to-sauna tour takes place around the local area. In the evening, there’s dinner, entertainment, and a party. And, we promise sauna rituals and other exciting experiences.
Planning for Badstufest 2025 is underway. Stay tuned for more information!
Experience the saunas!
On Saturday, there will be open saunas for all festival participants from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Remember to bring at least one towel to sit on, at least one towel to dry off with, and wear your festival wristband!
You can find the saunas using our sauna map, and don't forget to fill your car or boat with more festival participants. More saunas are coming!
Sandaa Sauna is beautifully and scenically located on the outskirts of Tromøya. It offers panoramic views of both Tromlingene and Raet National Park.
It has capacity for 8 people. There is great swimming right outside the sauna.
Damp Nidelv is located by Nidelv Camping, part of the Arendal river system. Nidelv is known as the main waterway for timber rafting all the way back to the 1500s. Experience Nidelv at its finest this autumn!
The floating sauna, Kata can accommodate 12 people. There are good bathing ladders from the sauna raft.
The mobile sauna, Rulvi can accommodate 14 people. It has its own bathing pier.
Welcome into the warmth with Homborsauna! A fantastic outdoor area near Grimstad town center, just a short 30-minute drive from Tromøya.
The sauna is a large, custom-built floating sauna with 10 seats, a lovely sandy swimming area, and a shared changing room. Remember to bring your own drink and towel to sit on.
Experience one of Norway's only forest saunas with a natural cold plunge! With all the senses immersed in the forest, a visit to Skogsbad Høyåsen offers a completely unique experience, close to the elements.
Seating capacity is 10-12. It features a natural cold plunge, a zinc bathtub, and an outdoor shower.
Choose your festival packet!
More info coming soon…
Save the date 19th – 21st September 2025
Tickets and more information coming soon!
Norwegian Sauna Association
Norwegian Sauna Association is a voluntary association that works to promote an inclusive and open sauna culture, and to raise awareness of the joys and health effects of sauna. Their purpose is to promote and strengthen sauna culture, and public access to saunas, to contribute to good public health and accessible outdoor activities.
Anyone can become a member, including individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations.
Badstufolk
Badstufest was started in Vang, Valdres, in 2021 when Hallgrim Rogn and Knut Lerhol launched the book Badstufolk, which has become a cult book and the sauna bible here in Norway. To understand modern sauna culture in Norway, you must read Badstufolk, and as a member of the Norwegian Sauna Association, you can get the book at a discounted price. Become a member here.
Hove Camping
Hove Camping is beautifully located at the edge of the Skagerrak on Tromøya, just outside Arendal. With stunning views, forests, and beautiful beaches, Hove is the perfect place for Badstufest 2024.
Hove has a long history with roots dating back to the 1500s.
In 2017, the area outside Hove became part of Raet National Park. Here, you can see parts of the end moraine, Raet, from the last Ice Age, which forms long pebble beaches.
Find the way!
To navigate to the different saunas: Click on the saunas in our sauna map, and then on ‘map’ to get the directions in Google Maps. Each sauna has details about their planned activities and information in their event on our sauna map.
Thank you to our partners
