A crayfish party is a traditional summertime eating and drinking celebration in the Nordic countries. The tradition originated in Sweden, where a crayfish party is called a Swedish: kräftskiva. The tradition has also spread to Finland via its Swedish-speaking population,[1] and Norway.
Crayfish parties are generally held during August, a tradition that began because the crayfish harvest in Sweden was, for most of the 20th century, legally limited to the late summer.[2] Nowadays, the Swedish: kräftpremiär date in early August has no legal significance. Customary party accessories are novelty paper hats, paper tablecloths, paper lanterns (often depicting the Man in the Moon), and bibs.[2]
Swedish: [[Akvavit]] and other kinds of Swedish: [[snaps]] are served, as well as beer, and traditional drinking songs (Swedish: [[snapsvisa]]) may be sung.[3] [2] The crayfish are boiled in salt water and seasoned with fresh dill – preferably "crown dill" harvested after the plant has flowered – then served cold and eaten with the fingers. Bread, mushroom pies, strong Västerbotten cheese, salads and other dishes are served buffet-style.[2]
For more than 40 years, the town of Herrera de Pisuerga (Province of Palencia) has celebrated the Swedish: Festival Nacional del Cangrejo de río (Crayfish's National Festival). This is because this crustacean has always been part of the traditional gastronomy of the area. Since 2011, the town includes a "Swedish dinner" in its celebrations, during which the residents practice the Swedish tradition of a street dinner with paper lanterns and candles in true Swedish: kräftskiva-style. For the inaugural Swedish dinner, the festival was honoured by the presence of a special guest, the First Secretary and Chancellor of Spain, Eva Boix.[4]