"Viva San Pietro!" and other Gloucester, MA Local Custom Tips

The last weekend of June (or thereabouts) is the time when the Italian families of Gloucester celebrate St. Peter's Fiesta. Commencing with a novena to St. Peter (nine days of prayer to the patron saint of fishermen), the Fiesta ends with a lively carnival featuring seine boat races, the 'Greasy Pole' contest (a tradition apparently imported from Sicily: local men compete by balancing themselves walking to the end of a grease-covered telephone pole positioned over the ocean to capture a flag; most people fall off and it hurts when you hit the water), spectacular fireworks, a parade which loops throughout the inner city, and the Blessing of the Fleet (usually by Cardinal Law, but he wasn't invited this year). Residents of Gloucester are sharply divided on the merits of the Fiesta, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Some people say it has lost its solemn religious focus and turned into a scaled-down version of Bourbon Street or Bike Week. Yes, it's true that the burly nightclub bouncers on Rogers Street now wear Mardi Gras beads during Fiesta, that long rows of Harleys are parked in formation throughout the festivities, Dixieland jazz bands can be heard in addition to the traditional Italian musicians, and Budweiser has become a corporate sponsor and dubbed itself the 'Official Beer of the Fiesta.' Still, don't let that fool you, because Gloucester is a very traditional town which resists change with a vengeance. The Italian fishing families that began the procession of the statue of St. Peter have stayed true to their roots. As the statue makes its way around Fort Square, those who are honored to be chosen as 'carriers' repeatedly chant a call-and-response Italian phrase which translates into 'What, are we all mute?' to which the crowd replies 'Viva San Pietro!' Despite the nightly revelry, no one seems forgotten about St. Peter. It's next to impossible to get a hotel room in Gloucester during Fiesta weekend, so be sure to book many months in advance if you want to join in the celebration!

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Website: http://www.stpetersfiesta.org/

Many people visit Gloucester, fall in love with the scenery, and decide to relocate. They don't look before they leap and have problems once they pack up and move here. Housing costs have become exorbitant and most locals are working more than one job to pay their mortgage or rent costs. Wages are disproportionately low in relation to basic living expenses. Don't say you weren't warned!

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Folks in Gloucester love chatting on local message boards about community affairs and town talk. Visit CapeAnnOnline at http://pub95.ezboard.com/bcapeannonline or VirtualCapeAnn at http://www.jimedia.com/cgi-jimedia/ikonboard/ikonboard.cgi to get up to speed before your visit!

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