Bringing on Fiesta 2009

The altar is up in St. Peter's Square.

So, too, are the "Buona Fiesta" signs.

Those tell-tale visuals, coupled with tomorrow's conclusion of St. Peter's Novena mean just one thing — Gloucester's 82nd annual St. Peter's Fiesta is about to begin.

Fiesta, held each year to pay tribute to the patron saint of fishermen, consists of five days of celebrating with activities ranging from prayer and religious processions to sporting events, musical performances and carnival rides.

What sprouted as a small gathering in the Fort, the heart of the old Italian and Sicilian fishing neighborhood, has grown into a citywide festival over the course of nearly a century. Members of the St. Peter's Fiesta Committee work year-round to lay the groundwork for Fiesta plans. Led by Joseph Novello, the committee provides nourishment to each branch of the celebration — its religious tone and its joyous atmosphere — allowing them both to flourish.

Due to the challenging economic conditions, this year's Fiesta has had to scale back a bit on entertainment acts, but what it lost in hired participants, it's gained in citizen participation, Novello says.

"We were really watching our spending with the down economy, so there's less marching bands in the procession but there are more floats this year," he said. "The procession is actually a little larger and cost us less money. We tried to cut in a way where people wouldn't miss it, but it was tough to call entertainers and tell them we couldn't use them this year."

Novello said weather permitting, there will be a fireworks display to close Fiesta on Sunday night.

"Fireworks were paid for last year, but they got cancelled," Novello said, "Fortunately the fireworks company was able to hold it over for us, it's the only reason we can have (fireworks) this year."

Fishermen's Wives Association President Angela Sanfilippo said Fiesta has maintained the same meaning it has for Sicilian Americans for decades — a mix of religion, thanksgiving, and embracing the company of family and friends, many of whom come from all over the world to take part in the festivities.

"It's always an exciting time, all of the wonder and enjoyment that happens this time of year," Sanfilippo said. "There's always a feeling that this is not happening anywhere else today in this country."

Remembering the Patriot

This year's Fiesta is dedicated to Matteo Russo and John Orlando, who lost their lives when their fishing vessel Patriot sunk off the Gloucester coast in the early morning hours of Jan. 3. Novello said Fiesta is also dedicated this year to former Fiesta Committee member Sebastiano Moceri.

At the conclusion of the nine-day Novena tomorrow night, there will be a special procession, with the statue of St. Peter will be taken to the water's edge at Pavilion Beach to commemorate the men.

While the festival's entertainment kicks off in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday, Fiesta formally opens Friday night, followed by a weekend of sporting events. Sunday's events feature the open-air Mass of St. Peter, followed by the religious procession and the Blessing of the Fleet in the afternoon.

Novello said Cardinal Sean O'Malley, head of the Archdiocese of Boston, will take part in Sunday's Mass and procession.

For the second year, the Brazilian Catholic community will take part in the religious procession with its patron saint — the Madonna of Aparecida.

"Anyone who wants to walk in behind the statue can, it's an open procession," Novello said, "we just hope that many people want to join in."

But even before then, starting Wednesday, there will be music each night at the temporary altar in St. Peter's Square, located off Rogers Street along the Inner Harbor.

While some things have changed this year — several starting times are new, including the formal opening when St. Peter's statue will be led to the Fiesta Altar in a candlelight procession beginning at 7:30 p.m. — a majority of the Fiesta celebration remains the same.

"Forever Legends," a musical entertainment offering, returns to St. Peter's Square this year on Wednesday featuring five performers scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Last year, the performance was billed as "Sinatra and Friends."

New Fish Festival

One major change, however, involves the annual New Fish Festival.

For the first time in years, the Fishermen's Wives Association is coordinating the buffet feast incorporating fruits of the sea.

Sanfilippo said the Fishermen's Wives Association sponsorship of the event is really just a return to the festival's roots.

"Originally, it was started with the Fishermen's Wives, then taken over by the (Cape Ann) Chamber of Commerce and restaurants," Sanfilippo said. "We certainly couldn't say no when they called us asking us to be involved; we've gone back to its origins. People count on (the New Fish Festival) to get a feast of all these different tastes and different cultural dishes that make our community so rich."

This year's New Fish Festival, scheduled to begin Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at The Gloucester House restaurant, incorporates a wide variety of local fish dishes in an effort to educate the public about the many choices they have when selecting a fish plate.

"It's always been a mission of the Fishermen's Wives to get people to eat all the different species of the ocean so we're not just beating up one species," Sanfilippo said. "And to educate the public that they're all edible; there's no need to keep only eating cod or haddock or flounder. Many of the other species are even better tasting than those."

Sanfilippo helped finalize the menu, which includes seven recipes from the "Taste of Gloucester Cook Book" — authored by the Fishermen's Wives Association and published in 1976 — and roughly a half dozen other seafood plates, compliments of local restaurants. She expects the festival to draw crowds equal to past attendance marks, averaging about 300 people.

Carnival and more

As for the youngsters who enjoy the carnival, Wednesday night is Gloucester Night, in which a wrist band can be purchased for rides instead of one price for all rides. A discount coupon can be obtained from local shops for the wrist band. For the ensuing nights, tickets are purchased for rides instead of one price for all rides.

The Fiesta 5k Road Race, presented in conjunction with the Cape Ann YMCA, is set for 6 p.m. on Thursday, with a youth block dance to follow in the square from 8 to midnight.

On Saturday morning, the rowing race between the Coast Guard and the Navy will be followed by the second annual rowing event pitting the Gloucester Police Department against a crew of city firefighters.

The Greasy Pole Walk, Seine boat races and other favorites are featured throughout the weekend.

Jonathan L'Ecuyer can be reached at jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.

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