Along with (years of) Good Morning Gloucester Fiesta chronicles…don’t miss today’s newspaper!
GDT Sports writer Nick Curcuru delves into the hanging chad flag incidents, detailing relative context and history from years of on the ground coverage, matched with Paul Bilodeau’s signature photographs.
“…It turns out the only thing that can stop Hopkins from bringing the flag down is a flag that is fastened extra tight on the edge of the pole.”
Nick Curcuru. “Nailed it: Greasy Pole Controersy made for exciting and memorable 2023 Fiesta”, Gloucester Daily Times. June 28, 2023. Photographs by Paul Bilodeau.
I recommend rereading Curucuru’s 2020 piece “FIESTA LEGENDS: Top 10 greasy pole walkers of all time” while you’re at it.
Ethan Forman’s front page coverage about the 2023 St. Peter’s Fiesta procession was beautiful as well: “Fiesta Sunday celebrates faith, family and food”. June 26, 2023, which threaded interviews to illustrate the day, including Romeo-Theken’s:
“This day is a day of being thankful,” said former Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken. “Being thankful we have a fishing fleet; being thankful that this past year there was no loss at sea, no casualties. We are thankful that we still have our family and our faith and yet you can do it being festive,” she said of St. Peter’s Fiesta. “Everyone’s united for one day. It’s beautiful.”
-Excerpt. Ethan Forman. “Fiesta Sunday…”. Gloucester Daily Times. Read the full article here.
and the invited Rev. from Lynnfield:
“…The Mass was led by the Rev. Jim Achadinha, pastor of the Catholic Community of Gloucester and Rockport, and celebrated by the Rev. Tony Luongo, parochial vicar at Ave Maria Parish in Lynnfield.
Luongo said he got a call from Achadinha about a month ago after he found out Luongo’s mother came from Sicily.
“He said, ‘Father Tony, would you like to say the Mass,’ and I said, ‘Yeah, I would love to’,” Luongo said. Achadinha asked him to take part in the procession and the Blessing of the Fleet.
“And then you know what he asked me? ‘We have the walking of the Greasy Pole’,” Luongo said to laughs. “Absolutely not!”
Excerpt: Ethan Forman. “Fiesta Sunday…”. Gloucester Daily Times. Read the full article here.
Good Morning Gloucester 