North Shore & Cape Ann Events

St. Peter’s Fiesta is a local celebration that has grown over the years to become a city-wide party. The 5-day festival, sponsored by the Italian American community in Gloucester, honors St. Peter, the patron saint of all fishermen. Once a small “blessing of the fleet,” St. Peter’s Fiesta now also features parades, Seine boat races, a 5k race, a carnival, live music, and the famed greasy pole contest. The full program of events for this year’s festival can be viewed on the St. Peter’s Fiesta official website.

The Greasy Pole

One of this fishing port’s biggest spectator draw during St. Peter’s Fiesta and most sacred test of all is the greasy pole. The pole is 40 feet of wood piling extending from a 4-story platform a few hundred yards off Pavilion Beach. Most of the year, it sits idle, a totem to the glory it has brought and the people it has broken. But the Friday of St. Peter’s Fiesta — the biggest event on the city’s calendar — crews slather the pole with Crisco, bacon fat, fish guts, and whatever local bars and restaurants could come up with to make it a slippery mess.

One by one, walkers will attempt to cross and retrieve the red flag at the end of the greasy pole. Some bruising and crushed egos will take place in front of huge crowds of spectators on the water and on the beach. The prize for walking the pole’s length is a type of fame hard to fathom anywhere but here. The flag gets you carried through town, a free drink at every public house, and an authentic stature in the city that lasts a lifetime.

Where to Stay During St. Peter’s Fiesta

Atlantic Vacation Homes offers a wide variety of vacation rental homes in or near downtown Gloucester and across Cape Ann. We can easily find you a perfect home base from which to enjoy all of Fiesta’s delights. To book your accommodations, simply view available rentals and enter your desired dates to get a quote. You can also call toll-free at (855) 853-9143 to speak with a Guest Experience Specialist.

Historic Stage Fort Park along Gloucester Harbor will once again burst with color and excitement at the 43rd Annual Gloucester Waterfront Festival on Saturday, August 17th and Sunday, August 18th, 2024. This vibrant event features over 175 talented artisans, crafters, and delicious food vendors, all accompanied by lively music. Bring the whole family for a day filled with fun, food, and entertainment.

The festival runs from 9am to 6pm on Saturday and 9am to 5pm on Sunday. It’s handicap accessible and welcomes leashed pets.

Location: Stage Fort Park, 24 Hough Avenue, Gloucester, MA.
Admission: Free
Weather: Rain or Shine

Learn more.

Well known to the world as Gloucester’s major maritime and sailing event, the annual Gloucester Schooner Festival is organized by the Gloucester Schooner Festival Committee and Maritime Gloucester. Taking place in the harbor and nearby waters of America’s oldest seaport, the Gloucester Schooner Festival honors the major role the fishing schooner has played in the heritage of Gloucester and the eastern seaboard. Old and new, large and small– a variety of schooners will visit Gloucester Harbor and delight all comers.

Schooner Festival – Official Website

Atlantic Vacation Homes is the premier vacation home rental & real estate company on Boston’s North Shore, with 40+ years of creating dream vacations for our guests. Situated a little more than a half-hour’s drive from downtown Boston, the North Shore is the ideal spot for an east coast vacation. We specialize in coastal vacation rentals for families, large groups, and anyone else who wants a beach vacation in Massachusetts.

The Topsfield Fair is known to be “America’s oldest and finest agricultural fair.” The fair features a large carnival midway, demonstrations (ranging from beekeeping to miniature trains), pumpkin weigh-offs, a Grange Museum, musical acts and attractions, the 4-H Agricultural/Arts and Crafts exhibits and more. The carnival midway and food vendors are big draws for the kids small and big.

Check the Topsfield Fair website for schedules and admission prices: https://www.topsfieldfair.org.