Crayfish Parties

The rapujuhlat, or crayfish party, is a late-summer institution: bright red crayfish boiled with masses of dill, eaten by hand with the fingers, washed down with snaps and drinking songs, often under paper lanterns and in paper hats. Shared with neighbouring Sweden, it marks the end of the Finnish summer.

What you actually see

• Dill-boiled crayfish - the red crayfish cooked with crown dill, eaten by hand.
• Snaps and songs - the little glasses of aquavit and the drinking songs between them.
• Paper hats and lanterns - the playful decorations of the traditional party.
• Late-summer timing - the August feast that closes the season.

When to go

August, the traditional crayfish season, at a restaurant party or a private gathering. Many restaurants lay on set crayfish feasts through the month for those without an invitation.

Honest expectations

Crayfish are fiddly, messy work for relatively little meat, so the real point is the ritual, company and snaps rather than a big meal. It is seasonal, so outside August it is hard to find. Restaurant versions can be pricey for the amount of eating.

Nearby

Restaurants across Helsinki and the lake country hold crayfish evenings; the tradition mirrors Sweden's kraftskiva across the water.