Easter Saturday is a public holiday in Ærøya (Denmark) that both islanders and visitors cherish; everyone heads to the beach to boil eggs in seawater. Maybe you’ve heard of it? The crazy islanders who sit on the beach in all kinds of weather, boiling eggs, grilling sausages and toasting each other. And that’s exactly what the islanders do – together with a lot of island guests who have discovered the tradition themselves and have “voluntarily” joined in. The days leading up to Easter Saturday, and especially on the day, the ferries are packed; everyone is going “home” to Ærø and boil eggs. The city streets are deserted, and shops and museums are closed with a sign on the door: “We are boiling eggs!”
Hundreds gather around the island and make bonfires on the beach – often with two, three or more generations around the same fire. All day long, eggs are boiled, sausages are roasted and robber stories are told. And it’s all washed down with a craft beer – maybe even a local Easter brew from Ærø Bryggeri. The tradition dates back to around 1900, when the older children went around to the farms on Easter Saturday, sang for the residents and received eggs, which they took to the beach and boiled in seawater. Or perhaps it was the farm girls and boys who had finally had a day off and wanted to celebrate it in a festive way. The origin of this custom is somewhat uncertain.
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