Kansas City FIAT Club Joins Festa Italiana 2026 at Zona Rosa
The Kansas City FIAT Club received a warm welcome at Festa Italiana at Zona Rosa on May 31, 2026, when club members brought four FIATs to the festival’s Motori show for a day celebrating Italian cars, culture and community. It was the Kansas City FIAT Club’s first time participating in the annual event, and judging by the reception we received, we certainly hope it won’t be our last.
Celebrating Italian Culture in Kansas City
Festa Italiana brings a taste of Italy to Kansas City each year with a weekend of Italian food, music, entertainment and cultural activities at Zona Rosa. For automotive enthusiasts, one of the highlights is the collection of Italian cars on display. That’s where the Kansas City FIAT Club came in. Gino Serra gave our club a warm welcome to the Motori event, and four cars represented the Kansas City FIAT Club this year:
- A 1970 FIAT 850 Spider
- A 1979 FIAT 124 Spider
- A 2018 FIAT 124 Spider
- A 2018 Abarth 124 Spider
With cars ranging from 1970 to 2018, our little group offered visitors a chance to see several different chapters of FIAT’s automotive history side by side.
FIATs Old and New
One of the things that made our lineup especially fun was the contrast between the vintage and modern cars. The 1970 FIAT 850 Spider and 1979 FIAT 124 Spider represented an earlier era of small, distinctive Italian convertibles. Nearly four decades later, the modern FIAT 124 Spider brought the familiar open-top formula into a new generation, while the Abarth added its own performance-oriented personality to the mix. Put them together on a sunny day at an Italian festival, and it was hard to imagine a more appropriate setting. The cars also gave us plenty of opportunities to talk with festival visitors, answer questions and meet other people who share our enthusiasm for Italian automobiles.
Plenty of Italian “Cousins” at Motori
Of course, the FIATs weren’t alone. Some of our Italian “cousins” joined the Motori display as well, with an impressive assortment of Alfa Romeo and Ferrari models giving car enthusiasts plenty more to explore. Among the cars we spotted were an Alfa Romeo 4C, a beautifully prepared vintage Alfa Romeo race car and a Ferrari Testarossa, along with newer examples of Italian performance cars.
The variety was part of what made Motori so enjoyable. In just a short walk, visitors could go from a tiny vintage FIAT 850 Spider to a modern Abarth 124 Spider and then find themselves standing next to a Ferrari Testarossa. For anyone who appreciates Italian automotive design, there was a lot to see.
The Beginning of a New Kansas City FIAT Club Tradition?
More than anything, Festa Italiana gave us another opportunity to do what the Kansas City FIAT Club is all about: bring together people who enjoy FIATs and share that enthusiasm with others. We’d like to thank Gino Serra and everyone involved with Festa Italiana and Motori for welcoming the Kansas City FIAT Club to this year’s event. We had a great time meeting fellow enthusiasts, showing off our cars and enjoying a beautiful day surrounded by all things Italian.
This may have been our first year at Festa Italiana, but we’re already looking forward to doing it again. See you next year!