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More Than 10,000 Vespas Fill Rome for 80th Anniversary Parade

The mass event demonstrated Vespa’s standing as an Italian design symbol through Piaggio nearing 20 million produced scooters

Vespa enthusiasts parade during celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the Vespa scooter, in Rome, Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Vespa enthusiasts parade during celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the Vespa scooter, in Rome, Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Vespa enthusiasts parade in front of Colosseum during celebrations for the 80th anniversary of the Vespa scooter, in Rome, Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
FILE - U.S. high jumper John Thomas, of Cambridge, Mass., waves from a Vespa scooter with an unidentified official Olympic driver inside the Olympic Village, in Rome, Aug. 27, 1960. (AP Photo/Mike Stern, File)

Overview

  • A four-day festival called Vespa Roma 2026 ran around Foro Italico and the Stadio dei Marmi and culminated in a parade that carried more than 10,000 scooters through Rome’s historic centre on Saturday.
  • Piaggio used the celebration to spotlight the brand’s industrial continuity, saying production remains at Pontedera and across plants in Vietnam and India as the company approaches roughly 20 million Vespas built since 1946.
  • The gathering drew thousands of international enthusiasts who travelled from Europe, North America, Asia and beyond to attend club rides, exhibitions and the Vespa Village merchandise and display area.
  • Speakers and officials framed Vespa as a post‑war mobility solution turned cultural export, noting its film history and role in Italy’s economic recovery after World War II.
  • The event underlines a living brand community that fuels tourism, merchandise sales and Piaggio’s market presence in about 100–110 countries, which could bolster the company’s retail and visitor revenue in the months ahead.