Kraftskiva Crayfish Party

The kraftskiva, or crayfish party, is a beloved Swedish late-summer tradition: bright red crayfish boiled with crown dill, eaten by hand and sucked noisily from the shell, washed down with snaps and drinking songs, under paper lanterns and comic moon-face hats. Held through August, it marks the fading of the Swedish 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.
• Moon hats and lanterns - the comic paper hats and glowing moon-face lanterns.
• 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 for those without an invitation. It is an evening event.

Honest expectations

Crayfish are fiddly, messy work for little meat, so the point is the ritual, songs 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 eating.

Nearby

Restaurants across Stockholm hold crayfish evenings; the tradition mirrors Finland's rapujuhlat across the water.