Watch: Hilarious Bloopers From Greasy Pole Contest In Gloucester
Since 1931 there’s been a fun and hilarious tradition on the Massachusetts North Shore. Gloucester holds a greasy pole contest during their annual St. Peter’s Fiesta, and this year the bloopers are amazing.
“The Greasy Pole is a 40-foot telephone pole that is slathered in biodegradable grease — along with other items such as banana peels, orange rinds, eggs and fish guts — and attached to a 12-foot-by-12-foot platform that stands about 200 yards off Pavilion Beach,” WCVB explains.
Brave participants attempt to get across the pole and grab the flag at the other end. It sounds a lot easier than it is, especially when a massive crowd below is eagerly hoping for your fall.
The Greasy Poll Tradition
Over the course of two days anywhere from two to seven rounds occur until a winner is crowned. The variation is because there is no telling how many rounds it will take. For example, this recent year so a lot of people have fallen. However, somebody does have to win each event. The grand finale is then on Sunday. WCVB detailed that the final day is saved for “a field exclusively of past champions, protégés who walk for former champions and Saturday’s winner.”
St. Peter’s Fiesta is always a celebratory weekend in Gloucester. Though the carnival and 5K race get a lot of attention, the greasy pole competition has now been going on for over 90 years strong.
WCVB has posted to their YouTube page the greasy pole bloopers video from the past weekend in Gloucester. It appears the technique participants use can vary. Some opt for the sprint out-of-the-gate method, while others try sidestepping across.
This year the winner was Colin Sweet, who was the first participant to grab the flag. Sweet is a Gloucester native. You can watch the full blooper video here:
Two Of Massachusetts Coastal Towns Ranked in USA's Top 10
North Shore, South Shore, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard. There certainly is no shortage of shoreline in the Bay State. Two Massachusetts towns were selected as a USA Today top 10 coastal town.
10 Best is USA Today‘s travel coverage series highlighting attractions, destinations, and food items around the county. They look for unique charm with homegrown flavors. Furthermore, they were looking for “waterfront charm.” Not only is Massachusetts the home to two of the selections, but it was also the only state in the Northeast to get the nod. According to the final rankings, these two towns are both in the top five!
So what are the towns?
Provincetown and Marblehead are each considered a Massachusetts top coastal town. The tip of Cape Cod and North Shore shipyard landmark. 10Best calls out Provincetown’s spread of galleries and museums as main attractions. In addition, Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary was listed as part of Marblehead’s nature-friendly environment.
Looking at the history of these two summer hot spots, it’s no surprise that their quaint appeal led them to landing on the top 10 coastal town list.
Provincetown is 17.5 miles of unique beachfront and harbor-side living. Often called P-Town, the year-round living population is roughly 3,600 people, while the seasonal population can reach as much as 60,000. Commercial Street is known for its Cabaret establishments, restaurants, and art shops.
Marblehead is about three hours north of Provincetown. You can actually take a boat back and forth. On a map it looks like these two destinations are staring at each other. Marblehead is about 19 square miles with a population of over 20,000. One of the main tourist attractions here are the numerous sailing options out of Marblehead harbor. Finally, it is infamous for its commercial fishing wharfs, thus there are also six yacht clubs spread throughout the area.
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.
