Vespa World Days 2024: a record-setting edition
POSTED: 21/04/2024
Over 20 thousand Vespas arrived in Pontedera from five continents and more than 30 thousand Vespisti with them.
Vespa World Days 2024: a record turnout and a special edition celebrating 140 years of Piaggio. For the first time, the annual rally of Vespa Clubs from all over the world took place in Pontedera, the town where Vespa was founded and where Vespas have been produced since 1946.
An estimated 30,000-plus Vespa lovers and around 20,000 Vespas flocked from far and wide. Attendees from all over Europe came, with the traditional lively presence of visitors from Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Austria and Switzerland turning out in particularly large numbers. Other continents were also well represented with Vespa fans coming from further afield, such as Australia, Hong Kong, Mexico, Argentina, the Philippines, the USA, Canada and Colombia. In total, Vespa Clubs from 55 nations were officially represented.
The Vespa Parade: A spectacle never before seen in 70 years of rallies
Saturday’s grand Vespa Parade broke all records with more than 15,000 Vespas starting off from Pontedera then snaking their way around the Valdera Hills. This extraordinary 16-km colourful serpentine also represented Vespa’s rich history. Leading the parade was a special Vespa GTS 300 in the colours and emblems of the Polizia di Stato (Italian State Police), donated by Piaggio at the opening of the Vespa World Days event. Also among the front pack was television personality, record producer and ardent Vespa fan Rudy Zerbi, astride a brilliant Vespa Gtv 300
All the models manufactured in seventy-eight years of Vespa history paraded through the streets of the Pisa province, from the first and extremely rare 98cc made in 1946 all the way to the latest versions of Vespa Primavera, Sprint and GTS, with legendary models in between such as the early ’50s era 125 “faro basso”, the widespread VBB ranges, the 1964 50cc units, the ET3 125 units, the ’70s era Rally machines, and a steadily growing number of Vespa PX units.
The Vespa Village, the historic Piaggio Museum and the centre of Pontedera star during Vespa World Days
Along with the grand parade, one of the other key events held at the Vespa Village was the Elegance Competition, an unforgettable procession of elegantly dressed riders and passengers on some of the rarest and most stunning Vespas ever produced.
The entire town took part, transforming locations with parties and Vespa-related events from photography and art exhibitions to a cinematic special which saw a continuous repeat of three of the numerous films featuring Vespas: Disney-Pixar’s Luca, the iconic Roman Holiday, and the television biopic Enrico Piaggio, an Italian Dream.
During the festivities, both the Piaggio Museum and Vespa factory were swamped with thousands of visitors every day. Various spaces of the museum became temporary offices of the Vespa Historic Register, an entity founded in 1980 with the aim of safeguarding and spreading Vespa’s heritage. The museum’s auditorium hosted meet&greet sessions which allowed fans to mingle with designers and engineers involved in producing Vespa vehicles, and to learn the secrets behind the world’ most famous and beloved two wheelers.
The exclusive Vespa 140th of Piaggio celebrates the company’s 140th anniversary.
Only 140 units of this numbered edition featuring a special celebratory plaque and a design that pairs the Piaggio colours with the iconic Vespa lines have been produced. Starting from a Vespa GTV base, the classic forms that evoke the Vespa heritage have been respected via a balance between myth and modernity, with the low headlight and exposed tubular handlebar combining with sports-style finishing touches and hi-tech bells and whistles. This very special version features blue graphics against a white body, along with the classic Vespa graphic, new monogram and 140th anniversary logo.
The event came to a close with the Vespa Trophy, the touring trophy where the Clubs are called on to demonstrate the stops along their journey to Pontedera with photos and special stamps in their Travel Books.
The Vespa World Club and National Vespa Clubs
The Vespa legend was created at the same time as the scooter burst onto the scene and even as far back as 1946, many were keen to be associated with the Vespa name. And so, the first Vespa Clubs were founded, originally in Italy then spreading abroad, sparking an enduring passion that led to the creation, in 2006, of the Vespa World Club, marking the 60th anniversary of Vespa.
Today, the Vespa World Club encompasses 66 countries.
Vespa World Days 2025 will be hosted by the city of Gijón, located in Spain, in Asturias, with the Atlantic Ocean providing the splendid backdrop.
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