Success in Germany for the 11th VWDays

Jun 30 2017 16:35
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SUCCESS IN GERMANY FOR THE 11TH VWDAYS, THE TOP WORLDWIDE EVENT IN THE VESPA CLUBS’ CALENDAR. FOR FOUR DAYS, MORE THAN 4,000 VESPA SCOOTERS FROM EVERY PERIOD AND OVER 320 VESPA CLUBS, FROM 32 COUNTRIES, ANIMATED THE TOWN OF CELLE, IN LOWER SAXONY.

Celle (Germany), 26 June 2017 – Vespa World Days 2017 – a planetary date for Vespa Clubs from all over the world – was a huge success in terms of participants and pure entertainment. More than 4,000 Vespa scooters were registered, from 32 countries all over the world: from Indonesia to Chile, Canada to Malaysia, across Europe and around the Mediterranean down to Israel. A passion that knows no borders.

A rich program of activities was organised for the participants attending the four-day event (22-25 June): a spectacular parade, a fascinating display of vintage Vespa scooters, an exciting Vespa Trophy, a crowd-pulling gala dinner, and a closing ceremony at the Vespa Village – the beating heart of VWDays – with the handover from Celle to Belfast, in Northern Ireland, the host city for next year’s Vespa World Days, from 14 to 17 June 2018.

A colourful and celebratory throng animated the streets of Celle, in Lower Saxony on the river Aller, meeting up for a parade on the Saturday, which saw an extraordinary cavalcade of Vespa scooters.

A reflection of people’s great affection for the scooter, the parade was opened symbolically by the Mayor, who swapped his ceremonial sash for the VWDays crash helmet; the procession then wound its way through the woods and residential districts of the town, to welcoming applause from the local population. The enthusiasm was infectious.

The program on the Saturday also included a special display of 725 vintage Vespa scooters in front of the town hall to celebrate the 725th anniversary of the founding of Celle. From there, the classic models joined the other participants to complete the 30-km parade. The two-wheelers proudly processed with the insignia of their respective Vespa Clubs, representing the more than 320 Clubs attending the event. A particularly strong turnout came not only from Germany, but also from Italy, with more than 500 Vespa riders attending the 11th Vespa World Days and proclaiming their love of the Vespa. Another activity that attracted an enthusiastic response was the Vespa Trophy: a tourist trophy organised in honour of the Vespa and involving Piaggio Group dealers across Europe. The object of the competition, open to all registered Vespa Clubs, was to reach Celle and pass the largest number of Piaggio Check Points, with the highest possible number of Vespa scooters, in order to accumulate points during the stages of the journey in a special Travel Book. Each stamp was a goal, an adventure to remember and share.

The competition, whose prize was a TomTom VIO scooter satnav (photo above), a new and extremely useful Piaggio accessory for scooter riders, was won by the combative Vespa Club Ticino team, which travelled more than 2,000 km; the runners-up were the contingent from Vespa Club Trento, with the team from Aosta in third place. In addition to the guided tours, organised with local staff, the program culminated in the traditional gala dinner, a jubilant celebration for the Vespa Clubs.

The partying continued into the small hours at the Vespa Village (the centre of the event and location of the Vespa stand), with a musical show and fireworks display.

In the early afternoon of the Sunday, the last day of Vespa World Days 2017, the closing ceremony took place at the Vespa Village with the handover from Club to Belfast, the hosts for the next edition of the international event for Vespa Clubs all over the world.

For years, Vespa World Days has celebrated the timeless Vespa legend. A scooter that has gone far beyond its function as a stylish, easy-to-ride two-wheeler for the daily commute and become a truly global brand cherished by whole generations.

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