Greasy pole competition set to kick off in Gloucester

GLOUCESTER - The greasy pole competition kicks off Friday at St. Peter's Fiesta in Gloucester.

Participants scamper across a greased 45-foot telephone pole that juts out over the ocean, trying to grab a flag at the end.

"It is not uncommon for these daring individuals to come away with scrapes, bruises or even broken ribs," organizers say.

Last year's champion , Colin Sweet, said it was a "dream come true" to conquer the pole. As is tradition, he was paraded around on the shoulders of fellow competitors, waving his victory flag.

The contest takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Pavilion Beach.

In recent years, videos of contestants trying and failing to run across the slick pole have attracted tens of millions of views on social media.

What is St. Peter's Fiesta?

St. Peter's Fiesta is an annual festival that dates back to 1927. Visitors come from all over the country to celebrate Gloucester's Italian-American fishing community.

The five-day event features live music, food, an open-air Sunday Mass at the Altar of St. Peter's Square and the blessing of the Italian-American fishing fleet. Another must-see event is the Seine boat races, in which 12-man crews race each other on a mile-long course.

Love & Grease documentary

Want to dive deeper into St. Peter's Fiesta and the world-famous greasy pole competition? In the video player above, you can watch "Love & Grease," WBZ's award-winning original documentary that tells the real story behind Gloucester's greasy tradition.