Steaming hot saunas, colorful lights, and booming pop hits: in Helsinki, Finns celebrated the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in their own unique way—by sweating together until the winner was announced: Austria’s JJ with his electro-pop ballad Wasted Love. Near the Töölönlahti Bay, just steps from the Pikkufinlandia convention center, “Saunavision” took place—a temporary village with 15 different saunas, blending two of Finland’s greatest passions: steam baths and Eurovision. The free, fully booked event attracted around a thousand people over two days, turning Helsinki into an unofficial Eurovision hub alongside the official final held in Basel. Among the standout features was a vintage Volkswagen turned into a mobile sauna with a sloped roof, built by students from Aalto University, which quickly became the event’s symbol. At the heart of the village, a DJ set blasted a non-stop playlist of Eurovision classics and 2025 hits, making the wooden walls of the saunas—and the hearts of the attendees—vibrate. The vibe was electric yet inclusive. Promoted by the City of Helsinki and the platforms Visitsauna.com and Saunat.fi, the event was inspired by the hype surrounding Finnish band KAJ and their song Bara bada bastu—a love letter to the sauna—which won Sweden’s Melodifestivalen. Saunavision became an event within the event, adding a warm and joyful backdrop to an already memorable Eurovision edition, in which Finland also celebrated Erika Vikman’s 11th-place finish. At its core, Saunavision brought attention back to the simple, collective joy of sharing: music, excitement—and heat.
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