Le Club du Sauna

Saturday, June 6, 8 pm

The steam is rising. The music is hot. For one night only, the Main Hall of the Scandinavian Club sheds its quiet charm to become a clandestine sanctuary of rhythm and revelry.

Le Club du Sauna was an exclusive, short-lived nightclub in Helsinki opened by theater director Vivica Bandler for the 1952 Olympic Games.

As a close friend and former lover of Bandler, artist Tove Jansson was one of the key contributors to the club’s unique atmosphere and design.

Le Club du Sauna is often cited as potentially the first true nightclub in Finland. For Jansson, it was a brief but significant immersion into the world of nightlife – an environment she ironically discovered she did not particularly enjoy after visiting a nightclub with Bandler in Rome.

Inspired by the wit and whimsy of “Le Club du Sauna,” we invite you to a modern-era speakeasy where the spirit of the 1952 Olympics is alive, well, and very much undercover.

• The Atmosphere: Witness the Main Hall transformed into a lush, cabaret-style nightclub. Think low lights, high energy, and the unmistakable hum of a well-kept secret.
• The Libations: Sip on authentic Prohibition-era cocktails – stiff, sophisticated, and served with a wink.
• The Rhythm: Lose yourself to the sounds of live music that would make a flapper’s heart skip a beat.
• The Attire: Channel your inner dandy or starlet. While not mandatory, the finery of the time is highly encouraged for those looking to blend in with the “in-crowd.”

Do not use the main entrance! The authorities are watching, and we’d hate to cut the party short. Keep your eyes peeled for the secret door – your only portal back to the Golden Age.