At the start of summer in the last days of June, Gloucester celebrated its 98th annual St. Peter’s Fiesta—my beloved Sicilian Catholic fishing drinking festival. It’s a festival of the internationally famous Greasy Pole contest, in which costumed men (one woman competed this year) compete to be the first to shimmy across a greased 45-foot-long telephone pole to grab a flag off the end. It’s the festival of seine boat rowing races across the harbor, of the Crazy Hat Ladies, of women singing prayers at the Novena, of shouted blessings as statues and icons of saints are carried through the downtown, of the carnival, of Italian sausages, of traditions (and grudges) passed down through the generations (to my own son too). It is the festival of new babies and remembering so many loved ones gone (one Greasy Pole walker told me of scattering a recently departed friend’s ashes as he walked the pole this year). Viva San Pietro! Viva! Viva!
P.S. I’ve photographed the St. Peter’s Fiesta for three decades. Some of them are online: 2024 , 2022 , 2018 , 2017 , more 2017 , 2014 , 2013 , 2009 , 2008 .
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Carrying the statue of St. Peter down to the sea for blessings after the last night of the Novena, the nine evenings of prayer that kick off Gloucester’s annual St. Peter’s Fiesta, June 24, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo The Novena Mass that concludes the nine evenings of prayer that kick off the annual St. Peter’s Fiesta, June 24, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo Leading prayers before the Novena Mass, June 24, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo Blowing out candles on the altar after the Novena Mass, June 24, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo Cake after the Novena Mass, June 24, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo Carrying the St. Peter statue out of the Legion Hall after the Novena Mass, June 24, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo The procession into the Fort after the Novena Mass, June 24, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo Carrying the statue of St. Peter down to the sea for blessings after the last night of the Novena, the nine evenings of prayer that kick off Gloucester’s annual St. Peter’s Fiesta, June 24, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo The procession into the Fort after the Novena Mass, June 24, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo The statue of St. Peter is returned to the window of the St. Peter’s Club after the final night of the Novena, June 24, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo St. Peter heads up Washinton Street during Sunday’s Procession, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo Oars representing boats in Gloucester’s commercial fishing fleet are carried at the front of Sunday’s Procession, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo Shouting blessings at Holy Family Church during Sunday’s Procession, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) The Boston Fireman’s Band plays during Sunday’s Procession, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Children watching Sunday’s Procession from the window of the Mother of Grace Club, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo The St. Peter statue stops at the Mother of Grace Club on Washington Street during Sunday’s Procession, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Shouting blessings at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church during Sunday’s Procession, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Sunday’s Procession continues along Prospect Street, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo Amy Clayton, one of the Crazy Hat Ladies, photographs the St. Peter statue during Sunday’s Procession, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Carrying statues of saints during Sunday’s Procession, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo Shouting blessings at Our Lady of Good Voyage Church during Sunday’s Procession, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Icons and statues of saints during Sunday’s Procession, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo The Ciaramitaro family makes its annual donation during Sunday’s Procession, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Statues and icons line up in front of Holy Family Church during Sunday’s Procession, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) The men carrying the St. Peter statue shout blessings during Sunday’s Procession, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo Before Sunday’s Greasy Pole competition, walkers shout blessings to St. Peter at the statue in front of the festival altar in St. Peter’s Square, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Greasy pole aboard the fishing boat that will take them from St. Peter’s Square to the pole on Sunday, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Greasy pole walkers depart St. Peter’s Square for the pole on Sunday, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Seine boat racers row from St. Peter’s Square for Sunday’s competition, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Fog rolled in for the Sunday Greasy Pole competition, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Watching the Sunday Greasy Pole competition from Pavilion Beach, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Sunday Greasy Pole winner Nick White is splashed in the surf before his fellow competitors carry him up Pavilion Beach, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Nick White is carried up Pavilion Beach after winning Sunday’s Greasy Pole competition, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Nick White is carried up Beach Court after winning Sunday’s Greasy Pole competition, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Nick White celebrates winning Sunday’s Greasy Pole competition at the wall of fame on Commercial Street in the Fort, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Nick White celebrates winning Sunday’s Greasy Pole competition at the wall of fame on Commercial Street in the Fort, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Nick White is embraced in the St. Peter’s Club after winning Sunday’s Greasy Pole competition, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Nick White is embraced in the St. Peter’s Club after winning Sunday’s Greasy Pole competition, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) Nick White is embraced in the St. Peter’s Club after winning Sunday’s Greasy Pole competition, June 29, 2025. (©Greg Cook photo) 
