St. Peter's Fiesta Explained

St. Peter's Fiesta is a five-day festival honoring the patron saint of the fisherman, St. Peter. Hosted by the Italian American community of Gloucester, Massachusetts, the festival involves a carnival, seine boat races, and the Greasy Pole contest, and attracts people from all over.

History

The festival began in 1927 when a life-sized statue of St. Peter was enshrined by fishermen in the heart of Gloucester's Italian district. The fishermen and their families began to pray to their patron saint, and soon plans for a religious procession on June 29 came about. They grew into the festival it is today.^[1]

No festival was held from 1942–45, nor in 2020–21.

Greasy Pole contest

The Greasy Pole is a three-day competition where people, commonly males, attempt to cross a 40-foot wooden piling that is extended horizontally 30 feet above the cold water of the harbor. The pole is covered in bacon fat, Crisco, fish guts, and lard from local restaurants, and each contestant must try to retrieve the red flag attached at the end. The winner is carried through the streets of Gloucester and can drink for free at each public house stop along the route.^[2]

ConceptThe Greasy Pole competition originated in Sicily in the 19th century or earlier, and was brought to Gloucester by the Italian immigrant population of fishermen in the early 20th century. The object is to walk across a greased pole protruding from a platform about 200yd from shore. This platform, depending on the tide, can be anywhere from 10- above the water. The pole, which hangs over the water, is 45feet long, and only about as wide as a standard telephone pole. This pole is then heavily greased with biodegradable axle grease mixed with anything from Tabasco sauce to oil, banana peels, and various other slippery objects. A red flag (or sometimes the Italian Flag with a red flag underneath it) is then nailed to the very end of the pole. The idea is to run out on the heavily greased pole and try to grab the flag before slipping and falling into the water. About 40 or 50 people between ages 18–60 go out from Pavilion Beach in Gloucester MA during the St. Peter Fiesta, the last weekend of June. They walk the pole one at a time in a pre-determined order. Generally, these are males of Italian descent, although the walkers may include all nationalities. Because of the popularity of the event, there are strict rules as to who is eligible to walk on Sunday. The event is currently held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 4:45p.m.

RulesThe first round of the Greasy Pole is dubbed as the "Courtesy Round." This is done so that all the walkers get a chance to walk the pole. Generally, this is used to get a feel for exactly how greasy the pole is. Some of the more experienced walkers only walk out a small distance and then dive off the pole into the water to save themselves from injury. Once all the walkers participating have walked, the second round begins. After the courtesy round is over, the flag can come down at any time.There are three days in which the Greasy Pole is competed:

Fiesta FridayMost of the newcomers to the Greasy Pole event walk on Friday. The winner of the Friday Greasy Pole will walk first on Saturday.

Fiesta SaturdayPeople who began walking before Greasy Pole Friday was implemented in 1999 or people who have won on Greasy Pole Friday walk on Saturday. The winner of Saturday then will walk first on Sunday.

Fiesta SundayAlso referred to as Championship Sunday. The winner of Saturday walks first, and on the platform are the former Saturday and Sunday champions of the Greasy Pole from years past and protégés of the former champions who can no longer walk because they have died or can no longer walk for health reasons. Winning on Fiesta Sunday is the most prestigious honor that a Greasy Pole walker can achieve, and every year they return to walk on Fiesta Sunday.

AwardsGenerally speaking, the Greasy Pole is done for bragging rights. A trophy is given out to the winner, but in the close knit town of Gloucester where everyone knows each other, this is done for the right to say "I won." (free drinks all night at all the bars)

DangersThis is obviously a very risky event. Walking through an almost frictionless environment anywhere from 10- over water on a very narrow pole can be dangerous. Several injuries, most of them minor, can and have occurred. These injuries can range from scrapes and bruises to broken facial bones or ribs from falling and landing on the pole. Police boats are nearby to assist if someone is seriously injured and needs to be taken to the hospital.

Trivia

• The first winner of the Greasy Pole was Natale Misuraca. He died in 2011, and the new pole structure has a shrine to him at the point of departure for all walkers.
• The record for most Greasy Pole wins belongs to Salvi Benson (10): 4 Saturdays, 6 Sundays.
• Peter "Black" Frontiero won 7 straight Sunday contests between 1987–1993. Most Sunday wins, 9 over all and all on Super Sunday.
• Only 2 men have won all 3 days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). Jake Wood was the first in 1999 (6th round Friday, 3rd Sat, 2nd Sun). Jake started walking in 1998 he now has a total of 7 wins . The Friday Greasy Pole was implemented, 1999. In 2019 Derek Hopkins became the second man to win all 3 days taking the flag down in the 2nd round all 3 days in his first year of eligibility, 20 years after Jake Wood accomplished the first trifecta.
• Anthony "Matza" Giambanco is known as the "Sheriff of the Greasy Pole." 6 time champ. "Matza" famously walked and slid to the end of the pole, where he stood for a few seconds in triumph before jumping into the water with flag in hand.
• In 1979, one man grabbed the flag in the first round, breaking the Courtesy Round rule. Unfortunately, he incurred the wrath of Anthony "Matza" Giambanco. He promptly punched the man, nailed the flag to the pole, and the competition continued.
• Peter "Black" Frontiero is the only walker in the history of the competition to win in three different decades (1980s, 1990s and 2000s) and with three different announcers (Mike Deliberti, Big Tom Brancleone, and Sammy "Samutzu" Nicastro.
• Joseph "JoeyD" DaSilva is the first walker to ever win on sea and land ("the surf and turf champion") with his two wins (Friday Fiesta 2011 and Fall Classic Saturday 2011).
• For the 75th anniversary, in a big surprise to everyone, the announcer at the time (Sam Nicastro) was joined by his predecessors Big Tom Brancleone and Mike Dileberti for the announcing duties.
• Joseph "JoeyD" DaSilva holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest time to cross a 42feet pole at 4.96 seconds. He set the record on the set of "Guinness World Records Gone Wild" in Los Angeles, California July 6, 2012.
• The Greasy Pole was washed away, along with the platform that supported it, by a storm on September 30, 2011.^[3] As of March, 2012, it was being rebuilt and was expected to be ready for the 2012 event.^{[4] [5]}

Past Winners1931 to 1998 (Before Friday Competition):

Year	Saturday Winner	Sunday Winner
1931	Natale "Nat" Misuraca	Oritan Vincenzo
1932	Oritan Vincenzo	Oritan Vincenzo
1933	Geronimo Parisi	Geronimo Parisi
1934	Jimmy Sinagra	Dominic Grillo
1935	Natale "Nat" Misuraca	Not held
1936	No Record	Not held
1937	No Record	Not held
1938	Jerome Loicano	Not held
1939	Jerome Loicano	Salvatore Randazza
1940	Unknown	Unknown
1941	Joe Marino	Joe Marino
1942	Jerome Loicano	Joseph Frontiero
1943	Joseph Verga	Peter Mione
1944	Joseph Argusso	Louie Linquata
1950	John Randazza	Jerome Liocano
1951	Gino Biondo	Louio Linquata
1952	Joseph Argrusso	Rained Out
1953	Tommy Misuraca	Tommy Misuraca
1954	Johny Quince	Tommy Misuraca
1955	Beanie Nicastro	Beanie Nicastro
1956	Carlo "Sleppy" Pallazolla	Carlo "Sleppy" Pallazolla
1957	Unknown	Unknown
1958	John Frontiero	Mike Calomo
1959	Frank Catania	Phil Curcuru
1960	Phil Curcuru	Frank Benson
1961	Not held	Not held
1962	Not held	Not held
1963	Phil Cucuru	Phil Cucuru
1964	Salvatore Testaverde	Joe "Black" Frontiero
1965	Phil Parisi & Phil Cucuru	Phil Cucuru & "Uncle" Salvatore Russo
1966	Tom "Wolfman" Cavanaugh	Tom "Wolfman" Cavanaugh
1967	Salvi Benson	Vito Calamo
1968	Salvi Benson	Salvi Benson
1969	Salvi Benson	Gaetano Carini
1970	Gaetano Carini	Pat Palmisano
1971	Salvi Benson	Salvi Benson
1972	Tom "Wolfman" Cavanaugh	Salvi Benson
1973	Tom "Wolfman" Cavanaugh	Salvi Benson
1974	Tom "Wolfman" Cavanaugh	Salvi Benson
1975	Anthony "Matza" Giambanco	Anthony "Matza" Giambanco
1976	Gaetano Carini	Benny Interante
1977	Billy Mumbruno	Anthony "Matza" Giambanco
1978	Bobbi "Brother" Agostint	Anthony "Matza" Giambanco
1979	Joe Palmisano	Salvi Benson
1980	Paul Bertolini	Anthony "Matza" Giambanco
1981	Jerry Santuccio	Dom Verga
1982	Steve "Stubby" Asaro	Dom Verga
1983	Phil Verga	Jerry Santuccio
1984	Paul Nicastro	Peter "Black" Frontiero
1985	Tom Favazza	Dom Verga
1986	Jerry Ciolino	Scott Clayton
1987	Sam Frontiero	Peter "Black" Frontiero
1988	Anthony Saputo	Peter "Black" Frontiero
1989	Russell Hines	Peter "Black" Frontiero
1990	Johnny Corollo	Peter "Black" Frontiero
1991	Jerry Cusamano	Peter "Black" Frontiero
1992	Nico Brancaleone	Peter "Black" Frontiero
1993	Steve LaBlanc	Peter "Black" Frontiero
1994	Dave Foote	Steve LaBlanc
1995	Steve Gray	Chris Carlson
1996	John "Glass" Parisi	Rich Hopkins
1997	Shawn Porper	Rich Hopkins
1998	Jason Puglisi	Nino Sanfillippo

1999 to Current (Friday Competition Introduced)

Year	Friday Winner	Saturday Winner	Sunday Winner
1999	Jake Wood	Jake Wood	Jake Wood
2000	Dean DeCoste	Jude LaFavour	Sammo Frontiero
2001	Phil Palminteri	James Sanfillipo	John "Glass" Parisi
2002	Sandi Palazzolo	Dean DeCoste	Jake Wood
2003	Steve Militello	Sandy Palazzolo	Jake Wood
2004	Stew McGillivray	Stew McGillivray	Peter "Black" Frontiero
2005	Vinny Parisi	Jimmy Silva	Jake Wood
2006	Danny Balbo Jr.	Vinny Parisi	Jake Wood
2007	Louis Perry	Joe Sanfillippo	Russell Hines
2008	Steve Williamson	John Church	Stew McGillivray
2009	Jason Favaloro	Joe Stelline	Stew McGillivray
2010	Joe Brancaleone Jr.	Peter Cannavo	Stew McGillivray
2011	Joseph "JoeyD" DaSilva	Kraig Hill	Ali D'Angelo
2012	Ross "Cliffy" Carlson	Nicky Avelis	Stew McGillivray
2013	Kyle Barry	Zack Allen	Nicky Avelis
2014	Jack Russ	Kyle Barry	Mark Allen
2015	Lenny Taormina	Joseph DaSilva	Jake Wagner
2016	Michael Sanfilippo	Lenny Taormina	Kyle Barry
2017	Randy Sweet	Randy Sweet	Jake Wagner
2018	Frank Taormina	Michael Sanfilippo	Randy Sweet
2019	Derek Hopkins	Derek Hopkins	Derek Hopkins
2020	Not held	Not held	Not held
2021	Not held	Not held	Not held
2022	Leo Cannavo	Anthony Novello	Derek Hopkins
2023	Colin Sweet	Steve Militello	Derek Hopkins

^[6]

The 2011 Greasy Pole Fall Classic

To help raise some of the money needed to replace the greasy pole platform that was damaged by tropical storm Irene, the Saint Peter's Fiesta Committee hosted the 2011 Greasy Pole Fall Classic at Gloucester High School's Newell Stadium. The competition featured three greasy poles, designated bronze, silver, and gold. This was expected to be the only Fall Classic, as the Greasy Pole is to be replaced with a platform that will last a century. The two time champ Joe DaSilva is the first person to ever win on sea and land, which earned him the nickname "Surf and Turf Champion." In 2012 Nick Avelis won Saturday's pole, and in 2013 Kyle Barry won Friday's pole, making all three "turf" champions "surf" champions as well (Avelis also won 2013 Sunday).^[7]

Year	Round	Winner
2011	Bronze	Kyle Barry
2011	Silver	Nick Avelis
2011	Gold	Joe "JoeyD" DaSilva

In film

In 2009, CoffeeBlack Productions — the Gloucester filmmaking team of Emile Doucette, Thomas Papows, and Michael Pallazola – created a short 7-minute documentary about the Greasy Pole and its cultural significance in the small fishing community of Gloucester, Massachusetts. The film won the Documentary Educational Resources Award at the International Documentary Challenge at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival.^[8] The group has plans to make a feature-length version of the film due out in 2010.

WBZ-TV released an hourlong documentary about the Greasy Pole in 2023, entitled Love and Grease.^[9]

In the Family Guy episode titled, Snap(ple), Peter decides to participate in the fictional version of the Greasy Pole titled "St. Philip's Greasy Pole Contest". Peter describes the contest as "Where shirtless men try to climb across a greasy pole". This episode aired on November 26, 2023.

Notes and References

1. Web site: History of St. Peter's. 2003. www.stpetersfiesta.org. 2018-07-01.
2. News: Baker . Billy . GREASE and GLORY . . 2017-07-02 . 2017-07-03 .
3. Web site: Gloucester icon slips into history. Byrne. Matt. 1 October 2011. boston.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20120527222054/http://articles.boston.com/2011-10-01/news/30233263_1_gloucester-officials-red-flag-greasy-pole. dead. 2012-05-27. 8 October 2011.
4. Web site: Gloucester to rebuild greasy pole. Kaufman. Alexander C.. 8 October 2011. boston.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20111212031842/http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/2011/10/gloucester-rebuild-greasy-pole/2AYBc6xDKx5sDo8TCJCMBK/index.html. dead. 2011-12-12. 8 October 2011.
5. Web site: Greasy Pole dock, platform rebuilt. Fletcher. Steven. 17 March 2012. Gloucester Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20120612165037/http://www.gloucestertimes.com/local/x2029129225/greasy-pole-dock-platform-rebuilt/. dead. 2012-06-12. 30 April 2012.
6. Web site: Past Greasy Pole Winners. 2003. www.stpetersfiesta.org.
7. Web site: Greasy Pole Fall Classic proves to be a hit. Times. Staff.
8. Web site: Allen . Quinn . Trio brings home international prize » Local News » GloucesterTimes.com, Gloucester, MA . Gloucestertimes.com . 2009-05-14 . 2010-09-11.
9. https://news.yahoo.com/documentary-love-grease-highlights-history-132300486.html Documentary "Love and Grease" highlights history of Greasy Pole competition