It was FinnFest USA, the big Finnish-American summer festival, in Marquette. The world record to beat: 304 bathers, set in Finland. Northern Michigan University built wooden bleachers on its football field, under a blue and white tent. One problem: the fire marshal said no fire. So they borrowed two heaters made to de-ice jumbo jets, burning jet fuel for about ten hours. 150 Fahrenheit. For a Finn, 66 degrees: a warm-up. Then the count at peak heat: 660. Whose idea? "We were having some beers," one organiser remembered.

What did Guinness say? It took place in a tent, and not in a real sauna.

Nine years later they built a real one: 663 people. Three more people. And four walls.

Would a tent count, for you?

Sources: The Mining Journal (Marquette), 29 November 2023 and its "30 years ago" column of June 2026; State of Michigan Sauna Day proclamation, 2019. The pictures are our drawings, not photographs.
Sounds: Freesound (CC0): SpliceSound, RichieMcMullen, theoneandtruelybitch, frenkfurth, DigPro120, brunoboselli, wwstudioswastaken, HowardV, zazz.sound.design, kyles; Mökkiperikunnalle sounds (CC0).