1,000 Vespa owners to gather in Seattle

You may have to dart out of the way, Rome-style, the next few days because about 1,000 Vespa owners from across the country will take to the streets of Seattle and beyond through Sunday.

Amerivespa, the 15th annual celebration of the classic Italian scooter, visits Seattle this year with group rides, meetings, an art show and numerous contests (including one on how slow a rider can go). The event begins Thursday at 6 p.m. with a "meet and greet" in Pioneer Square and ends Sunday on Vashon Island after a ferry ride.

Most events Friday and Saturday (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) take place in South Lake Union Park. Scooters on display will run the gamut from vintage machines to new models that can be test ridden. Attendees are required to register; for events not open to the public, the cost is $70 for non-members of the Vespa Club