Rome will host a four-day public celebration from June 25 to 28, 2026, to mark the 80th anniversary of Vespa, with thousands of enthusiasts from around the world expected to attend.
The event, titled VESPA ROMA 2026 – 80 YEARS OF AN ICON, is sponsored by the Municipality of Rome and will celebrate the anniversary of the scooter brand with a programme of exhibitions, entertainment, rallies and parades.
Organisers said Rome, which they described as the city that has embraced Vespa’s “elegant cosmopolitan soul”, is expecting Vespisti from every continent.
Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said the anniversary would be “a wonderful public festival” for the Italian capital.
“We are celebrating an Italian icon that is known and loved all over the world, a scooter that has kept its appeal intact from one generation to the next,” Gualtieri said.
He said the Vespa represented “an important part of our history, our culture and Italy’s ability to innovate without losing its identity”, adding that Rome had helped turn the scooter into a legend through cinema and culture.
Piaggio Group Executive Chairman Matteo Colaninno described the event as “the greatest celebration in the history of the Vespa”.
He said Vespa, created in 1946 alongside the Italian Republic, had witnessed changing lifestyles and generations over the past 80 years and that its history was closely linked to Italy’s post-war recovery, economic boom and the spread of the brand around the world.
“Today, we are on the cusp of 20 million scooters bringing life and colour to the streets of towns and cities across every continent,” Colaninno said.
He added that Rome had always shared a special relationship with Vespa and thanked the city’s administration for hosting the four-day event, which he said would attract tens of thousands of enthusiasts.
The main venue will be the Foro Italico and the Stadio dei Marmi, which will be transformed into a Vespa Village. The site will feature displays of historic and current Vespa models, lifestyle collections, merchandising, exhibitions and entertainment.
The event will be open to the public and include performances and entertainment organised by Radio Deejay. Vespa Clubs from 60 countries are expected to take part alongside thousands of individual Vespa owners.
Festivities will begin on June 25 with the official opening of the Vespa Village, the presentation of a commemorative coin issued by the Italian Ministry of Economy & Finance and minted by the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, and a first-day cancellation ceremony by Poste Italiane.
The opening day will also feature the “80 Years of Vespa” photo exhibition, curated by Giacomo Bretzel, showcasing the brand’s stylistic evolution and cultural and social impact through photographs and historic pieces. Evening entertainment will include live music, a performance by Ditonellapiaga and a DJ set by Molella.
On June 26, activities organised by Vespa and its partners will continue throughout the day. The programme includes the European Vespa Rally Championship and the Gymkhana World Championship, as well as live performances and a DJ set by Wad.
The Grand Parade will take place on June 27, when thousands of Vespa scooters from different eras will travel through Rome’s streets and iconic locations. The day’s programme also includes a treasure hunt and the Vespa World Club awards ceremony for the Sport and Tourism championships.
The celebrations will conclude on June 28 with the Elegance Contest, featuring some of the rarest Vespa models, followed by the official closing ceremony of the Vespa Village at 3 p.m. Entertainment from Radio Deejay will continue throughout the final day until the departure of participants.
