Celebrate Kräftskiva, With Us or At Home

The arrival of the Swedish crayfish season is celebrated at IKEA stores around the world, so we're gearing up for Kräftskiva, a Swedish crayfish party, at many of our U.S. stores in August. If you like crayfish, you'll love this celebration.

In Sweden, the cooking starts with dill (and crayfish, of course!). Crayfish are seasoned with dill and boiled until they turn bright red. Dill also is used to season the new potatoes that are served with the crayfish. And bright yellow dill flowers decorate the table.

Other foods traditionally served with the crayfish are herring, meatballs, Västerbotten cheese, breads, mushroom pies and salads. So there is plenty of food to enjoy, even for children or those who might be a little reluctant to try the crayfish. But if you've never had crayfish, we suggest you try it. You might discover a new favorite food.

A traditional decorating theme for a crayfish festival is paper lanterns with the image of "The Man in the Moon." These are important because the party is typically held outdoors, in the evening.

If you want to hold a Kräftskiva at home, IKEA stores offer a Party Pack with everything you need: paper hats, bibs and tablecloths decorated with crayfish motifs. The Party Pack even includes Swedish song books, for those who really want to get into the spirit! We also offer frozen crayfish, already cooked and seasoned in the traditional way. Just thaw them, heap them on a platter and serve — they're eaten cold. Plan on about two-and-a-half pounds of crayfish for each guest. But consider that people who like crayfish really like them — last year, one IKEA store served 2,000 pounds of crayfish to more than 600 guests!

You can join an upcoming Crayfish Festival at one of the following U.S. IKEA stores:

Check the IKEA website or call for dates and times at each local store.