This week, the joyous cries of “Viva San Pietro!” will ring out through St. Peter’s Square and beyond for the 97th annual St. Peter’s Fiesta, an expression of faith, family and fun sponsored by the city’s Italian-American fishing community since 1927.
The five-day celebration highlighting the diverse heritage, history and traditions of America’s oldest fishing port will be filled with sporting events at Pavilion Beach. Walkers will seek bragging rights to be the first to grab the flag as they take on the Greasy Pole Contest. And, crews of rowers in various categories will face off in the Seine Boat Races in the recently redone Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria Seine boats.
Following a nine-day Novena to St. Peter at the American Legion Hall from last Monday to this Tuesday, Fiesta kicks off with musical entertainment and the opening of the carnival on Wednesday, while thousands of runners are expected to kick off from Stage Fort Park to St. Peter’s Square on Thursday evening, for the Fiesta 5K Road Race sponsored by the Cape Ann YMCA.
The formal opening ceremony during which the statue of St. Peter will be carried from the nearby St. Peter’s Club to the altar stage in St. Peter’s Square starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
The celebration Mass of St. Peter takes place at 10 a.m. Sunday, with the procession featuring fishermen carrying the statue of St. Peter through the streets of Gloucester at noon. The Blessing of the Fleet on Stacy Boulevard takes place at 3 p.m., and the closing procession through the Fort kicks off at 11 that night.
On Friday, Joe Novello, president of the volunteer St. Peter’s Fiesta Committee, along with Chris Palazzola and his son Anthony of C.A.P. Construction of Gloucester and others were at work setting up the altar for this week’s Fiesta. Various parts of the altar were laid on the ground ready to be set up.
Fiesta Shows had planned to start setting up the carnival Sunday and Monday, Novello said.
More people want to get involved in the sporting events this year, he said, including walkers on the Greasy Pole and kids getting involved with the Seine boats.
New this year to Fiesta was an all-day youth ball hockey tournament held at Stage Fort Park on June 19 with teams from the city’s four elementary schools competing, Novello said.
“It’s something they are going to have every year on Juneteenth,” he said, an event that will be part of Fiesta.
Friday the Sunday procession was still in need of floats.
“We may have one right now, we are not sure,” Novello said.
Floats must have a religious or Fiesta theme and floats will be towed at the end of the procession so walkers are not bothered by any exhaust fumes.
The Fiesta Committee offers trailers to individuals, families, or groups wishing to participate and enter a Fiesta-themed float. To reserve a float trailer, please call Rose Aiello at 978 283-1664.
Novello said Friday organizers would be setting up the altar all weekend long.
To support St. Peter’s Fiesta, a tax-deductible donation can be sent to the nonprofit St. Peter’s Fiesta Committee, P.O. Box 3105, Gloucester, MA 01930. You can also make a donation through Venmo: @stpetersfiesta.
For more information about St. Peter’s Fiesta, go to http://www.stpetersfiesta.org/. You can also email stpetersfiesta.org@gmail.com.
Ethan Forman may be contacted at 978-675-2714, or at eforman@northofboston.com.