FIESTA!!!! You've got to have a sense of humor to live in Gloucester...

VIVA SAN PIETRO!!!

Me chi samiou, duté muté!?!?!
VIVA SAN PIETRO!!!

Sunday, 11:37 pm - Between the fog and the cold, Fiesta 2008 is not the best one ever. Jay Albert has posted a photo essay about the foggy Greasy Pole last night: Cape Ann Images: Foggy Fiesta !
It is, however, loud. There was partying in the street that was still going on when I went to bed at 2:00am. Sounds like things are gearing up for the parade now. Fireworks tonight have been canceled because of the thunderstorms moving in. I haven't heard any sirens in about an hour but Mass isn't over yet....
Saturday, 4:19 pm - Last night was somewhat quieter than most Fiesta Friday nights, mostly because of the weather, but there were people partying the street until 2. Right now I can hear cheers from Pavillion Beach and nearly constant cries of "Viva San Pietro!" I finished Mark Kurlansky's The Last Fish Tale: The Fate of the Atlantic and Survival in Gloucester, America's Oldest Fishing Port and Most Original Town and thought is was excellent --- I'll blog about it on Monday. Until then: VIVA SAN PIETRO!!!

7:15 PM --- High tide is good for Greasy Pole walking but lightning and a tornado is NOT!!! More at Jay Albert's Cape Ann Images!
Friday, 1:48 --- Thus it begins! Our quiet little street has suddenly gotten much louder and St. Peter is going to have his hands full with all the accolades being shouted at him. I went out to run a few errands --- picked up some Scalafani's bread, fresh fennel and mozzarella and swung by Café Sicilia to pick up lobster claws (that's a pastry, not a seafood). The altar in St. Peter's Square is ready and waiting, so are the police and firemen. The ambulances are already busy. I passed three greasy pole-walkers in full body paint who were viva-ing San Pietro all over the place. I hope they make it until 4:45 when the Friday competition begins. As I pulled into my street I could hear more "vivas" being shouted from other directions.I plan to stick close to home but since home is where it is, the party will come to me. Have fun, try to stay safe and VIVA SAN PIETRO!!!

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Despite the recent regrettable publicity in Gloucester it is also nearly time for our Annual Bacchanalian Revel, also known as FIESTA! The stage is almost ready and last night I was down at Pavillion Beach and a bunch of young bucks were there plotting their strategy for the Greasy Pole Competition. Saturday I went down the fish pier to watch the International Dory Races between the US and Canada. Both Jay Albert and Cathy Tarr have created excellent photo sites about those.

I'll be posting updates here as the occur to me. Jay Albert (photo above by Jay) over at Cape Ann Images usually has the best photos of Fiesta and he has some from last year online now. Joe Ciaramitaro from Capt. Joe's Lobsters is also documenting Fiesta on his excellent Good Morning Gloucester Blog, which he updates several times a day. Since I live in Gloucester's West End, the heart of the Sicilian community, I'll be keeping an eye out here. The parties go on all around and I can lay on my living room couch and listen to the music.



So, as we wait, please enjoy this video from Don Chavez of last years Greasy Pole event.

Captain Tom Ellis, captain of the Thomas E. Lannon, and buddy take a tour of the harbor (Jay Albert)

Thanks for reading and VIVA SAN PIETRO!!!