Città di Calvi Vintage Car and Motorcycle Rally

A vintage car and motorcycle rally in the heart of the Sannio region

The Città di Calvi Vintage Car and Motorcycle Rally is a celebration of historic motoring that, every early September, brings Via Roma to life in Calvi, a small town of just under 2,500 inhabitants in the province of Benevento, Campania. This is not a speed race or a timed regularity trial: it is a static exhibition, open and free to all passersby, where dozens of vintage cars and motorcycles are lined up along the village's main street and remain on display until late at night.

How the evening unfolds

The format is well-established and intentionally simple. In the early evening, the vehicles arrive in Calvi to complete registration; shortly after, the static exhibition opens, which is the most anticipated moment: owners stand by their vehicles to share stories of restorations, hard-to-find spare parts, original license plates, and family memories. For the crews, the evening continues with a pre-arranged dinner, while the exhibition remains accessible to the public until midnight.

• Arrival of the crews and registration verification;
• Static exhibition of cars and motorcycles along Via Roma;
• Pre-arranged dinner reserved for registered participants;
• Closing of the exhibition late at night.

Which vehicles can participate

The rally is reserved for vehicles built before 1990, and the number of spots is limited: in recent editions, the organization has set a cap of forty vehicles, with mandatory registration closing a few days before the event. The result is a varied but never chaotic selection, where Italian economy cars from the sixties and seventies coexist with sedans, spiders, and production motorcycles that have marked the history of mobility in Southern Italy.

A rally within the International Street Artists Festival

What makes the "Città di Calvi" different from many other historic car gatherings is the setting: the rally is held in conjunction with the International Street Artists Festival of Calvi, which reached its sixteenth edition in 2025. On the same evening, the 800 meters of Via Roma become an open-air theater with jugglers, clowns, acrobats, tightrope walkers, stilt walkers, fire-eaters, living statues, musicians, and storytellers arriving from Italy, Spain, France, Brazil, and Argentina, for over one hundred and fifty free performances. The vintage cars thus serve as a scenic backdrop for a village festival that attracts thousands of visitors.

Alongside the shows, there is also the "Paese dei Balocchi" (Land of Toys) dedicated to children and the "Path of Knowledge and Flavors," featuring stands from local producers curated by Coldiretti Benevento: a great opportunity to taste the products of the Sannio region after photographing the vehicles.

Who organizes the rally

The event is organized by the A.S.A.S. — Automotoclub Storico Antico Sannio of Benevento, an association that brings together collectors and enthusiasts from the province. Throughout the year, they host a calendar of rallies in the towns of the Sannio region, from "Le Streghe al Volante" to the evening gatherings "under the stars" in San Martino Sannita. The club manages registrations directly and assists members with the certification process for historic vehicles.

Calvi, a hill village in the province of Benevento

Calvi is located at an altitude of approximately 376 meters, a short distance from Benevento, along the ancient route connecting the Sannio capital to the Caudina Valley. The town, with its hamlets of Cubante, Li Mai, Piano Casiello, and Piano Rose, thrives on agriculture and a vibrant community life: it is from this fabric that the street artists' festival and the circus and theater school were born, which brings local youths to the stage every year. For those arriving from outside the region, the September evening is a direct way to connect with inland Campania, a land of hills cultivated with vines and olive trees rather than coastal resorts.

The 2026 edition

As of today, A.S.A.S. has not yet published the date for the 2026 rally: the event is traditionally held in the first half of September, coinciding with the street artists' festival. Those wishing to participate with their own vehicle can contact the club's secretariat to learn about the methods and terms of registration as soon as the calendar is announced.