The program of events of the Motor Valley Fest

Automotive enthusiasts from around the world will be delighted by the rich weekend program in Modena, a UNESCO World Heritage city and host of the Motor Valley Fest, the great festival celebrating Italy’s Land of Motors in the Emilia-Romagna region.

BEST OF MOTOR VALLEY

The Cortile d'Onore of Palazzo Ducale, seat of the Military Academy of Modena, will host the Best of Motor Valley  (May 12-14, 2023) with a public display of the most iconic cars and motorcycles of Emilia-Romagna’s Motor Valley. Visitors will have the opportunity to admire the Ferrari Roma Spider (at its first public appearance); the Ducati Streetfighter V4; Lamborghini the Revuelto by Lamborghini; the Pagani Utopia; the Maserati MC20 Cielo and the Dallara EXP IR8 Tribute version.

Also on display is the F1 Scuderia Toro Rosso 2014 (Imola racetrack); Bautista's Ducati Superbike show bike no. 1 and RES-TECH car simulator (Misano World Circuit); historical motorcycle BD Praga 500cc ASI MOTOSHOW and prototype car Formula SAE (Autodromo Varano de' Melegari); Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA (Scuderia de Adamich), Maserati 250F 1957 (Modena racetrack), Ferrari 308 GTB “Gr4” Michelotto from 1979 (Scuderia Tricolore), and Lamborghini Islero Rossa (Museo Ferruccio Lamborghini).

 

INNOVATION & TALENTS

Innovation & Talents, the networking area dedicated to talents, start-ups and the university world, will come to life on Thursday, May 11 and Friday, May 12, at the San Carlo Foundation, in Piazza Grande and at the Military Academy. 

Twelve universities will exhibit their SAE Formulas in Piazza Grande; on the 'track' the MUNER Motorvehicle University of Emilia-Romagna and the Italian Racing Teams/Squads will exhibit, while in the Military Academy there will be over 40 national and international startups and a Hungarian delegation. The San Carlo Foundation will be the stage for the twelve “Talent Talks” aimed at students, where the top brands of the Motor Valley, including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Dallara, and Ducati will tell future professionals about the skills required to work in the automotive sector.

THE EXHIBITIONS

The exhibition entitled “L’altra storia dell’Ing. Mauro Forghieri” is set up by Vision Up in the Cortile Giulio Cesare of the Military Academy of Palazzo Ducale in Modena. Among others, the prototype of the G.P.800 cc motorcycle, 2 and 4 cylinder diesel engines for the military and civil sector will be exhibited, and the new military and civil 2WD-4WD electric vehicle will also be presented, created by Oral Engineering in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense and followed by Eng. Forghieri.

In the Torretta area of the former Aerautodromo di Modena, inside the Enzo Ferrari Park in Viale Autodromo 29, visitors will find the exhibition "The great Modenese motorcyclists" (opening May 11, at 6.30 pm) created in collaboration with Moto Club Modena, with motorcycles and road tests of Kawasaki motorcycles. Photographs and films on display tell the story and adventures of important Modenese centaurs: Francesco Villa, Walter Villa, Claudio Lusuardi, Gianfranco Bursi, Franco Cottafavi, Gabriele Debbia and Luca Cadalora. There will also be a special tribute to two great motorcyclists of the past: Jarno Saarinen and Renzo Pasolini.

During the weekend of the Motor Valley Fest guests will be able to visit the Motor Valley Auction House of Giusti and Battaglia and the private collection of the Giusti family. For the occasion, an exhibition of pedal cars, helmets of famous pilots and watches of great value will be set up. In absolute preview it will be possible to see some of the relics and objects that belonged to Mauro Forghieri.

From May 11-June 25, in the San Carlo Church in Modena, visitors can see the exhibition "Manamente: pieces of unique pieces", promoted by Modenamoremio with the artistic direction of Modateca Deanna and installations by Studio Paolo Bazzani and Iris Ceramica Group. Unique pieces from the world of ceramics, fashion and motors will be on display. The artists involved are Andrea Anastasio, Marco Ceroni and Andrea Salvatori, Alessandro Rasponi, and Antonio Marras, with their own unique ceramic pieces.

MOTOR VALLEY VILLAGE

In Piazza Grande, the passion for engines ignites the Motor Valley Village with the participation of professional pilots from the Portamiinpista school, affiliated with ASI and the Motor Valley.

On Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14, UniCredit, the main sponsor of the Motor Valley Fest, will also be present with a gazebo dedicated to the Metaverse where the public will be able to enjoy a unique and immersive experience through a journey into virtual reality. By wearing special visors, visitors will be able to explore the digital environments created especially for the Fest with their own avatar to enjoy an enthralling journey into the world of cars. The fun driving simulator from the Gran Turismo 7 video game is dedicated to children.

For the first time the Municipality of Lugo (in the province of Ravenna) will also participate in the Fest with its Francesco Baracca Museum (the house museum dedicated to the Italian aviation ace of the First World War, an illustrious citizen of Lugo) together with the Enzo International Autodrome and Dino Ferrari of Imola (which this year celebrates its 70th anniversary), with drawing workshops for children dedicated to the figure of Baracca and the emblem that appeared on his plane, that of the Prancing Horse, which later became the symbol of Ferrari. Activities connected to the centenary of the first edition of the Circuito del Savio, the event that unleashed the passion for car and motorcycle racing throughout Romagna, will be celebrated in Ravenna on June 10, 2023.

In Piazza Roma throughout the weekend, the space will be dedicated to "Romagna Motorcycle", the Visit Romagna project (in partnership with Ducati, Motor Valley, Misano World Circuit, Riders' Land) for the promotion of motorbike tourism to discover the beauties and charm of Emilia-Romagna. The journey through the Land of Champions is just one of the ten itineraries that can be found and followed on the pages of www.visitromagna.it/motorcycle. The anticipated new itinerary, Romagna Electric Motorcycle, will be completely dedicated to eco-sustainable mobility on the saddle of an electric motorbike.

In Piazza Grande, Saudi Aramco will host an interactive and immersive exhibition on synthetic fuels, while younger visitors can enjoy the Supercar Tire Challenge.

 

MUSEUMS

On Friday, May 12, Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14 the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena (MEF) will be open from 9.30 am to 7.00 pm and the admission ticket will include a small gift linked to the "Game Changer" exhibition . During the three days it will also be possible to take advantage of the free guided tours subject to availability at the following times: 10:00 am and 3:00 pm in Italian and 11:00 am and 4:00 pm in English.

The "Inclusivity Project" will also be launched at the Motor Valley Fest which provides a series of services aimed at people with disabilities: remote virtual visits to allow people with motor disabilities to visit the museum directly from home by autonomously driving a robotic device equipped with an audio-video system (subject to availability) and free guided tours organized in sign language - LIS (subject to availability), at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.

Some of the Ferraris in the range will be on display in the square in front of the entrance to the MEF; among which the cars presented in 2022 stand out, namely the Ferrari Purosangue and the 296 GTS. Inside the museum, for the entire duration of the Fest, there will be an exhibition dedicated to the memory of Mauro Forghieri, one of the most significant characters in the history of Ferrari.

Enzo Ferrari's birthplace will also be the location for an engaging journey that tells the story of what Ferrari has always considered the most important part of each of its cars: the engine. An exhibition space that traces a selection of the most significant engines, with three main areas dedicated to these categories: that of classic 12-cylinder engines; that of V8s and, finally, that of Formula 1. In each of the three sectors, a Ferrari car will also be on display, exemplifying each type of engine.

Museum visitors can also take advantage of the free return shuttle to Maranello (subject to availability) to complete their visit to the Ferrari Museum. For families with children up to 12 years of age, a treasure hunt will be offered as a free activity on the theme of the exhibitions currently underway at the museum.

From May 13 to May 14 there will also be the possibility of taking guided tours by booking the Stanguellini brand museum (https://www.stanguellini.it/en/). At this museum dedicated to Modena’s most famous car constructors - the Stanguellini family - visitors will be able to learn about the history of a car manufacturer with a glorious past, the creator of models destined to remain in the imagination of motor enthusiasts for all time.

The Maserati showroom in Via Divisione Acqui 17 will be open and can be visited free of charge on May 11 from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm, May 12 from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm and May 13 and 14 from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm. Upon reservation, for a fee, it will be possible to participate in factory tours of the MC20 production line. (https://maseratifactorytour.modenatur.it/en/)

The Umberto Panini Collection can be visited on May 11 and  May 12 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and from 3:00 pm to 6:00, and on May 13 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Reservations are required for groups. (https://paninimotormuseum.it/)

The Horacio Pagani Museum in San Cesario sul Panaro will be open on May 11, 12 and 13 from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm. Factory tours are possible by reservation. Paid entrance. (https://pagani.modenatur.it/)

The Ares Showroom (in Via Emilia at number 95) opens to the public from May 11-14. ARES designs and manufactures cars and motorcycles made to order and by hand, in one-of-a-kind or limited series. The work of ARES is therefore part of the historic tradition of Italian bodywork, which is projected into the present and future, through the use of the most advanced technologies and the best performing materials.

Info and reservations for visits to motor sites in Modena and Emilia-Romagna https://www.motorvalley.it/en/

 

PARADES, FASHION SHOWS AND GATHERINGS

From Friday, May 12 - Sunday, May 14 the Cavallino Classic Modena returns; the third edition of the "Concorso d'Eleganza" with a parade of 25 excellent Ferraris. Casa Maria Luigia owner and Chef Massimo Bottura (with his wife Lara Gilmore) will be the guests of an enchanting journey between culinary tradition and research. Also this year the cars will participate in a wonderful parade along the center of Modena on the afternoon of Saturday May 13, from 4.30 to 6.30 pm.

Saturday May 13 is the day of Moto & Supercars Made in Motor Valley with a parade of cars between Romagna, the Riviera Romagnola, the Via Emilia, Bologna with arrival in Modena around 8.00 pm. Over 200 Ducati motorcycles and 100 Emilian supercars, including those by Ferrari and Lamborghini will parade. There will also be Lotus, Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Fiat powered by Ferrari, Stratos, De Tomaso. The cars will remain on display in Piazza Roma until late in the evening.

From Thursday, May 11 - Sunday, May 14 there will also be the "60th Lamborghini Anniversary & Supercars" event, a traveling gathering between Modena, Romagna - the Romagna Riviera, with around thirty cars, mostly Lamborghinis.

The 23rd Concours d'Elégance Salvarola Terme Trophy will take place on Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14, created by the Terme della Salvarola in collaboration with the Ferrari Museums, the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Municipalities of Modena, Sassuolo, Formigine, Fiorano Modenese and Maranello, Bper, Aci Modena and the Consortium for the Protection of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar.

On Saturday, May 13 the participating crews will parade through the streets of Modena to the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, the Righini Collection in Castelfranco Emilia and the Reggia Ducale Estense in Sassuolo. On Sunday morning, May 14, all the cars in the race will be lined up on the "green carpet" of the Salvarola Terme park and will be admired at the Art Nouveau establishment of the Terme della Salvarola. On Sunday afternoon in Piazza Roma in Modena, the winners of the categories will be proclaimed and the Best of Show awarded, with the delivery of the Salvarola Terme Trophy created by the artist Alessandro Rasponi and the Targa Città di Modena.

The Special Guest of 2023 will be the Italian Alfa Romeo Register, which will bring a selection of the best Alfa Romeo cars, alongside classes open to prestigious cars of all brands. Starting from this edition, cars produced up to 1992 can be entered.

On Sunday, May 14, from 11.30 am to 2.30pm, there will also be a parade in the city center of the EsseEsse9, Experia, Ego, Eva Ribelle di Energica electric motorcycles with a stop in Piazza Roma, and arrival in Largo Sant'Agostino.

On Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14, Davide Cironi will be the organizer of the decennial Drive Experience -Track Day at the Modena Marzaglia racetrack, a classic track day in which it is possible to book sessions on the track with your car by registering on the website www.driveexperience.it.

Also on Saturday, May 13, there will be a parade organized by Piero Capello of the Sport Rally Team, with about thirty cars, mostly Ferraris, some Maseratis and Porsches, in the center of Modena, arriving in Piazza Sant 'Agostino at 1:00 pm and exhibited until 7.00 pm.

 

EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS IN THE CITY

Piazza Grande will host the entire Folgore range of Maserati, brought together for the first time: the GranTurismo Folgore One Off Luce and Grecale Folgore, the first full-electric car and SUV in the history of the Trident, will be featured along with the futuristic Gen3 Maserati Tipo Folgore single-seater, debuting in the 2023 season of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

Instead, it will be Piazza XX Settembre that will host the celebratory Zéda edition of the Maserati Levante, Ghibli and Quattroporte Trofeo range. The spacious SUV, the elegant sports car, and the refined sedan will catch the eye in a version that pays homage to the brand's roots and is a prelude to the new electric era.  

In the Viale Ciro Menotti showroom will be the Maserati GranTurismo: two classic cars, along with a GranTurismo Zéda and the GranTurismo One Off Prisma, will welcome the public to the historic Trident headquarters.

For the second consecutive year, the historical and cultural association "Bugatti Automobili Campogalliano APS" will be presented. In Largo Porta Sant'Agostino, the association exhibits the very rare Bugatti Eb112, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The car, presented in 1993 at the Geneva Motor Show and of which there are only 3 specimens, was for the time a futuristic concept of a super sports sedan and has been defined as the "most beautiful sedan in the world". The one on display is the original specimen of the presentation in Geneva, with carbon frame, 6-litre V12 engine (derived from the Eb110) and design by Giorgetto Giugiaro.

The car has not been exhibited in Modena and its surroundings since 1995 and comes from a private collection.

From May 11-14 in front of the Motor Valley Accelerator headquarters, in via Selmi, 15, Aptera Motors will be the protagonist with one of its vehicles on public display.

In Piazza Mazzini for the entire duration of the Motor Valley Fest in the Ex-Albergo Diurno area, do not miss a visit to the virtual Parmigiano Reggiano dairy. Unimore researchers, in collaboration with Piacere Modena, invite the public to discover the production process of Parmigiano Reggiano; the virtual tour was developed with the funding of the Modena Foundation, "FAR2019 for research". Visitors are asked to interact with the cheesemaker - an avatar - and to perform actions in virtual mode which are useful for learning the complex production process of Parmigiano Reggiano in a simple way.

Also organized by Piacere Modena, in Piazza Mazzini, on Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14, there will be guided tastings of DOP and IGP products from the province of Modena with the narration of the history and culture connected to them.

From May 11-14 there will also be the Campagna Amica Market in Piazza Matteotti.

During the Fest, all the police forces will exhibit their vehicles and service vehicles in various areas of the city: the Guardia di Finanza-Provincial Command of Modena and the Municipal Police in Largo Sant'Agostino, the Arma dei Carabinieri-Comando of Modena in Piazzale della Torre, the State Police in Piazzale degli Erri and in Piazza Matteotti there will be ADM Agenzia delle Dogane e Monopoli.

For the State Police it is an opportunity to present to the public the prevention campaigns in place, from gender-based violence to bullying; there will also be a 100% electric vehicle of the Guardia di Finanza, while ADM will be available to visitors with a mobile structure from the Bologna chemical laboratory, set up with scientific instruments specially designed to perform fuel analyzes on site.

On Thursday, May 11 from 2.30 pm, the AGO Modena Cultural factories will host an event with CNA Emilia-Romagna, CNA Modena & Global Marketing Architecture entitled "Motorsport Club Revving up the Italy-UK speech and business meeting between Italian and British companies ”. The two most important European motorsport districts will meet to discuss important themes and trends for the automotive sporting sector.

On Friday May 12, from 11.30 am to 12.30 pm, the Città dei Ragazzi, will host a discussion with some companies in the car repair sector (in particular those of vintage restoration), to think about the future of a niche sector recognized and appreciated all over the world by connoisseurs and collectors. The participation of the regional councilor for economic development, training, work and green economy, Vincenzo Colla, is awaited. The initiative aims to be open not only to companies, but also to students of the Vocational Training Center and to all interested parties.

On Friday May 12, at 2:30 pm, the SPAZIOF Palazzo Montecuccoli will host the conference "The professions: experiences and innovation. The history and culture of motoring, told by the professional orders and colleges of the province of Modena", organized by the Commission for equal opportunities of the Committee of the professional orders and colleges of the Province of Modena - CUP - and only Emilia-Romagna and Unimore in collaboration with the Smart city sector, demographic services and participation of the Municipality of Modena and the Modena Foundation. The event will be broadcast online https://www.motorvalley.it/en/ and https://www.fondazionedimodena.it/en/

Also on Friday, May 12 from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm, the free and open conference entitled "Stories of Taste and Engines" is scheduled, organized by Piacere Modena at the Modena Chamber of Commerce, with speeches from great Modenese personalities (Pagani, Panini, Righini) linked to the world of food and engines, and moderation by the journalist and commentator for Sky, Leo Turrini. The conference is free and open to all, followed by a tasting of the PDO and PGI products of Modena.

On Saturday May 13, on the catwalk in Piazza Roma, there will be the presentation of the volume "Motor Valley-Viaggio nella terra dei motori' published by Minerva, the story of the making off of the first official docufilm of the Emilia-Romagna Motor Valley, by the director and journalist Stefano Ferrari and screenwriter Miria Burani.

The book contains 50 historical black and white photographs by Walter Breveglieri and 50 more contemporary images by Massimiliano Donati as well as the testimonies of thirty-six protagonists of the Emilia-Romagna motor world: Piero, the son of the 'Drake' Enzo Ferrari, Tonino Lamborghini (son of the founder of the brand), the former Formula 1 driver Jody Scheckter, the former Team Principal and CEO of Ferrari Stefano Domenicali,  Horacio Pagani and Gianpaolo Dallara (of the eponymous automotive companies), as well as the contributions of managers of local motorsport companies.

On Saturday, May 13 at 3.00 pm at the Teatro Storchi, TEDxModena returns with the interventions of thirteen speakers with their own talks focused on the theme "SUSTAIN-ABILITY", in partnership with Unimore and MUNER. The event is promoted by Unimore, Muner and Motor Valley Fest, with the support of the Collegio San Carlo Foundation and the patronage of the Municipality of Modena, the Emilia-Romagna Region and Confindustria Emilia Area Centro.

At 5.00 pm at the San Carlo Foundation in Modena, the presentation of the book "Altra terra dei motori" by Alessandro Socini is scheduled.

The European Night of Museums returns on May 13, the great festival of museums and places of culture in the city, with dance performances, meetings, guided tours, installations and workshops for a special evening that crosses the historic center from the Palazzo dei Musei at Palazzo Santa Margherita. Once again the leitmotif of the events will be dance with the involvement of Modena dance associations, professional companies and individual professionals of national and international caliber. During the evening, the extraordinary openings of the Ghirlandina, the historic rooms of the town hall and the municipal vinegar cellar, are also planned.

Discover Modena: There are many opportunities and guided tours to discover and experience the city and the area. The tourist information and reception office in Piazza Grande 14 will be open every day from 9.00 am to 6.00 pm and Saturday until 11.00 pm.

For information and reservations https://www.visitmodena.it/en

 

OUT OF TOWN EVENTS

On Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14, the Pagani Roadster BC will also be exhibited in Formigine, in Piazza Calcagnini; even the Scuderia Belle Epoque, a real local excellence in terms of engines, will exhibit its own car at the Castle.

In Piazza Italia for the little ones there will be a large carpet depicting vertical and horizontal signs to learn the basics of driving, created with the collaboration of local police officers and volunteers from the Family and Road Victims Association. The exhibition “Paolino and his friends. The Formiginesi della Formula 1”, includes video-interviews and installations on the mechanics of the legend. 

In Sala Loggia, on the other hand, there will be the exhibition "Don Sergio Mantovani, one of us" which will highlight the figure of the Formiginese parish priest passionate about engines and a friend of many Formula 1 drivers, who died in 2018.

On the same weekend in the center of Formigine there will be the second edition of Eutierra Green Fest which will offer stands of horticulture, gardening, agriculture, equipment and products for lovers of vegetable gardens, gardens and the countryside, companies that deal with eco-homes, green building , ecological cars, electric bikes and bio-pools. The food area will be dedicated to farms that will sell the organizers’ products.