Fishtown Horribles Parade back stronger than ever

About an hour before the Gloucester Fishtown Horribles Parade stepped off Monday afternoon, it seemed as if the muggy weather might produce some rain, with the concert and the fireworks delayed until Saturday, July 8, due to the chance of thunderstorms.

However, for the second such parade since the coronavirus pandemic, the clouds parted over the floats staging in the parking lot of Gloucester High.

At 6 p.m., the parade celebrating Independence Day in Gloucester’s 400+ anniversary year stepped off with the wail of fire engines under blue skies with hundreds lining Centennial Avenue as the parade slowly made its way toward Stacy Boulevard. The parade had been canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, but it appeared back bigger than ever for Gloucester’s 400th birthday.

“This tradition is just so wonderful, I look forward to it every year. It’s like the highlight of the year,” said long-time Gloucester resident Brenda Waslick, the high school’s career/vocational technical educational coordinator, standing on Centennial Avenue. “After the pandemic, this is like coming back stronger.”

Members of the Boston Firemen’s Band march during the annual Gloucester Fishtown Horribles Parade in Gloucester as part of the city’s 400th year anniversary.

The parade included marching bands — some from Canada, and rock bands playing on decorated flatbeds. There were plenty of marchers in costume, with those on floats tossing candy to the crowd. and with $1,000 going to the float that best represents Gloucester’s heritage, and $100 for the Best Horrible, the judges will have a tall order trying to sort through a winner.

There were so many floats and participants, they were too numerous to count. The parade lasted for over an hour. It was so long that after circling the downtown, it chased its tail with the end of the parade leaving just as the front of the parade arrived back at the high school parking lot.

The parade marshals, Generous Gardeners, an 80-volunteer group that helps maintain the gardens along Stacy Boulevard, also got a warm reception from the crowd when they passed by.

A member of the Aleppo Shrine drives a modified tricycle during the annual Gloucester Fishtown Horribles Parade in Gloucester as part of the city’s 400th year anniversary. 7/3/23

Among the Aleppo Shriners Uniformed Units in the parade were the Aleppo Drifters on their motorized big wheel trikes drifting down the street. There was Gloucester Schools Superintendent Ben Lummis marching ahead of a school bus with a banner announcing that bus drivers were needed. Mrs. Essex County 2023 Laurie Berns of Peabody rode in the back of a pickup truck with Captain America.

Parade participants pass along a conch shell horn during the annual Gloucester Fishtown Horribles Parade in Gloucester as part of the city’s 400th year anniversary.

More than one float sported a fisherman rowing an actual dory. Cakes were also a theme, with the Gloucester 400+ float sporting a large cake, while Mayor Greg Verga’s campaign float also had a large three-layer cake on a flatbed. The People Against Litter or PAL float featured both a large wooden fishing dory that rocked, and a Gloucester birthday cake. There was more than one sighting of the elusive Gloucester sea serpent.

Verga credited his campaign treasurer Donna Crocker for coming up with the idea for the boxy oversized cake. Verga said he remembers going to the parade as a little kid sitting by the Dunkin’ Donuts near the Rose Baker Senior Center. He recalls seeing TV personality Rex Trailer in the 1970s in the parade.

“It’s a snapshot of Gloucester in this two-mile run,” Verga said of the parade.

Judy Rose of People Against Litter spoke about her float: “Well, we are going back in time. It’s the city of Gloucester’s celebration of 400 years so we are using an old dory and just reminding people to sign up to clean up in front of their house.”

Gloucester Girl Scout Troop 64454 celebrates Gloucester’s 400+ and Fiesta’s Greasy Pole with its “Gloucester Traditions” float in the Fishtown Horribles Parade on Tuesday. The children are, from left, Madison Ferrelli, 7; Ahniah Olson, 6; Malia Tarantino, 7; Finley Olson, 7; Ben Tarantino, 4; Amelia Numerosi, 7; Mayzie Beba, 3; Aiden Ferrelli, 9; Rylee Beba, 6; and Mackenzie Orlando, 7. The Scouts’ float won the Gloucester Heritage prize, $1,000.

More than one float, including the one for Girl Scout Troop 64454, focusing on the parade theme of Gloucester’s heritage featured St. Peter’s Fiesta and the Greasy Pole contest held last weekend. Cape Ann Savings Bank and NAPA Auto Parts’ float featured a steel drum band.

David Dow rode in a pickup towing a large Parrott Rifle, as Dow restored the barrel of the rifle cannon that will be placed at the restored fort area of Stage Fort Park along with three others.

With 2023 being a city election year, politicians and candidates were spotted marching, including state Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, greeting the hometown crowd and bringing along a rock band playing on flatbed trailer; Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker; Councilor at-Large Jeff Worthley, whose float sported a large brass band of fishermen wearing yellow rain hats; City Council President Val Gilman marching with School Committee Chair Kathleen Clancy; Councilor at-Large Jason Grow riding in a van for The Open Door food pantry where his wife, Sarah, works; mayoral candidate Mary Ellen Rose greeting people in the crowd as one of her floats featured a car festooned with various organizations’ T-shirts; Andrew “Dru” Tarr, district director for state Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante, D-Gloucester, marching with his small dog, Rosy; and candidate for at-large councilor Chris Sicuranza, among others.

“It’s amazing,” said Adam Chin of Gloucester as the parade got underway. He said it was his 2-year-old daughter’s first experience with the parade this year. “Definitely a lot of people here, which is great, but we’ll see when we see it, it’s just starting now.”

“Exhilarating,” said Ruth Pino, a tri-chair of the Gloucester 400+ about being part of the parade. “The weather’s beautiful, we’re all so happy to be here. The sun’s out, it’s beautiful.”

Ethan Forman may be contacted at 978-675-2714, or at [email protected].