Cold plunges become Gen Z's new social hangout, Eventbrite says
Eventbrite says 79% of 18- to 35-year-olds plan more events in 2026, as cold plunge and sauna venues turn recovery into a social ritual.
Cold plunges and sauna sessions are no longer just post-workout recovery tools. They are becoming the kind of place young adults book the way they once booked coffee runs, bar tabs and boutique fitness classes, with Eventbrite saying 79% of 18- to 35-year-olds plan to attend more events in 2026.
That shift sits at the center of Eventbrite’s idea of “Fourth Spaces,” interest-based gatherings that turn online passions into real-world connection and self-discovery. In wellness, the format is simple but potent: cold, heat, breathwork and a little shared discomfort, packaged as a social ritual. Fitt Insider said Nordic-inspired wellness experiences grew 62.5% globally from 2024 to 2025, while attendance rose 32.8%, a signal that the category is expanding as a habit, not just as a trend.
The appeal is widening beyond sore muscles and athletic recovery. Eventbrite said 43% of Gen Z and millennials want wellness-and-energy mashups, while 26% want recovery experiences built around heat, cold and shared discomfort. That helps explain why operators are leaning into group formats, communal thermal circuits and private suites that remove some of the friction of shared tubs, long waits and awkward transitions between sauna and plunge.
The money is following the behavior. Grand View Research estimated the global cold plunge tub market at $354.6 million in 2025 and projected it to reach $659.9 million by 2033. It put the sauna market at $954.3 million in 2025, with growth to $1.5568 billion by 2033. North America held 38.8% of the cold plunge tub market in 2025, and the U.S. market is expected to grow at a 7.7% CAGR from 2026 to 2033. The commercial segment accounted for 81.4% of the cold plunge tub market, underscoring how much of the action is happening in venues, not just backyards.
That expansion is visible in the brands racing to meet demand. Plunge, Kohler and Sunlighten are pushing at-home recovery products, while Bathhouse, Othership and Therme are scaling communal thermal experiences across fitness, hospitality and real estate. Fitt Insider also pointed to regional momentum, with the U.S. accounting for 68% of global event volume, London up 1.5K%, and Australian suburban recovery experiences up 200%.
The health pitch remains part of the story, but not the whole story. Harvard Health says the evidence for broad claims is thin, and people with cardiovascular disease, arrhythmias, high blood pressure or circulation problems should be cautious. Cleveland Clinic says some users report less soreness, better mood and improved sleep from cold plunges, while sauna use may help with stress, pain and sore muscles. Mayo Clinic Press credits Wim Hof with helping turn icy immersion from a once-a-year New Year’s stunt into a mainstream wellness practice, and that helps explain the moment now: the plunge is starting to look less like a solo recovery habit and more like the new night out.
This article was produced by Prism’s automated news system from verified source data, official records, and press releases, then run through automated quality and moderation checks before publishing. The system is built and supervised by the people who set the standards it runs under. Read our full AI policy.
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