SWEA friends claw their way to a great crayfish celebration

South Florida SWEA members and friends claw their way to a great crayfish celebration  

  • Photo: Karin Nordlander

  • SWEA South Florida celebrated their Cultural Scholarship Fundraising Event with a magnificent Swedish Crayfish Bash at the upscale Sea Ranch complex in Boca Raton, Florida.
    A festive crowd of SWEA members, spouses and friends met for the late-summer celebration. Katri Olander Serenius with husband Thomas and Cecilia Dehlin with husband Rutger had decorated the party room with paper lanterns and garland, tablecloths and bibs. Other helpers were everywhere, greeting the guests with a welcoming drink.
    Time to dig in! Everyone grabbed handfuls of crayfish from the overflowing centerpiece on each table. They peeled and crushed the tasty Oregon “freshwater lobsters” with their teeth. Sucking the juice and devouring the tender meat, partygoers tossed down shots of snaps and sang traditional snaps visor. Laughter jumped from table to table, filling the entire room with joy.
    The delicious crayfish were specially cooked in beer and dill “crowns” in keeping with the original, no-longer-secret Swedish recipe of Gunnar Strömberg. And if that wasn’t enough to revel in, the guests were presented a lavish smorgasbord of Swedish delicacies and desserts – again thanks to Katri.
    All proceeds from the evening’s high-quality lottery went to SWEA South Florida’s Cultural Scholarship Fund.

  • Angelica Rosas, chair SWEA South Florida and Katri Olander Serenius, “COO” of SWEA International. Photo: Karin Nordlander

  • By Kickan Williams
    Photography: Karin Nordlander

  • The author, Kickan Williams with husband Temple. Photo: Karin Nordlander


  • About SWEA South Florida Cultural Scholarship
    The goal of SWEA South Florida’s Cultural Scholarship is to encourage and support any well-merited male or female residing in Florida, who wishes to study or pursue projects in one of the following areas with specific emphasis on Sweden or Swedish aspects: the Swedish language; Swedish culture or traditions; environmental science; health care program promoting better health for women and children; handicraft, visual art, music, literature or design; an exchange program with Sweden.
    The scholarship has been an annual amount of $2000.00 since the start of SWEA Florida. SWEA South Florida is hoping to bring that amount up to $4000.00 to keep up with the times! Proceeds from the raffle at this year’s crayfish party were dedicated to the Cultural Scholarship Fund.

  • It takes close to a village to make the crayfish party run smoothly. Photo: Karin Nordlander