The second edition of the Versilia Yachting Rendez-Vous

Countdown to the second edition of the Versilia Yachting Rendez-vous: the event dedicated to the high-end nautical sector, in Viareggio from 10 to 13 May (www.versiliayachtingrendezvous.it). An exhibition event with international scope, made even more valuable by the support of Regione Toscana, Toscana Promozione Turistica, and the Ministry for Economic Development, who will support VYR 2018 through ICE, the Agency for foreign promotion and internationalisation of Italian businesses.

The spotlights will shine on the Italia and Europa docks, and on the port area promenade, which will host visitors, sea lovers, and industry professionals. In a body of water covering almost 50,000 square metres, about a hundred magnificent vessels will be at anchor, animating a large festival in the heart of the Tuscan nautical district - a live and operative open-air factory. The best of yacht and mega-yacht manufacturers in Italian shipbuilding, and the best manufacturers of accessories and components for large vessels. 

Along the docks of Viareggio, more than 300 men are working tirelessly to finish the fitting operations that began on 23 April. According to the site schedule, in fact, operations will be completed today.. This complex fitting phase does not only concern the installation of gazebos and pre-fitted stands, but also restyling operations in the exhibition circuit, starting from the new entrances, as well as new paving, cleaning the waterways, and creating new pavements, managed thanks to the collaboration of all the territorial authorities involved. 

Private vessels moored at the city’s docks have been temporarily transferred and suitably repositioned in other Tuscan locations, reducing inconveniences for all boat owners to a minimum, thanks to synergies and good operating relationships with all local concessionaires, including Club Nautico Versilia and Lega Navale Italiana - section of Viareggio.

Among the novelties in the logistics department, on the other hand, during the VYR there will be four free parking areas dedicated to visitors who wish to reach the exhibition by car. One area will be located near Stadio dei Pini. Another two will be located between Viale Europa and Via Marina di Levante. The last one will be near Parco Commerciale Burlamacca in Via Pisana, but with a peculiarity: from this precise spot it will be possible to make use of the free Taxi Boat service. A real boat will accompany the visitor to the VYR entrances, crossing the Burlamacca canal.

There will also be many new additions to the second edition of VYR, starting from the new exhibition concept. A new fair layout, made up of more ample and functional areas equipped with WiFi connection, capable of making the relationship between operators and exhibitors more comfortable, as well as a new location for the ticket offices, which will be positioned on the seaside promenade in Viareggio, in viale Regina Margherita, next to the pier and before the entrance to the port. There will then be two entrances that will lead the visitors to the docks, both positioned to the North, on the Lungo Canale Palombari dell’Artiglio. And then there will be a new Welcome Area, an igloo-shaped space dedicated to welcoming buyers and exhibitors.
On the promenade, there will also be an area dedicated to classic cars with the VYR Preview, an area dedicated to car lovers, where there will be exclusive models and authentic examples coming from the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo in Arese. 
The Darsena Italia dock is home to the very new Exclusive Court, an area dedicated to products from other sectors and luxury products and services, made in collaboration with sponsors Falconieri, Maserati, Novaris, Slam, Poltrona Frau and UIV - Unione Italiana Vini, who all chose to support the event by making their own contribution to the creation of this area. An extraordinary corner where you can relax and get to know the products designed for those who are driven by a passion for the nautical field and for high quality. 
“In Darsena by Daniel Canzian”, on the other hand, is the name of the new restaurant located inside the exhibition area, which will host visitors and exhibitors during the days of the exhibition. After Carlo Cracco, who played a leading role in the gala evening last year at the Puccini theatre of Torre del Lago, another prestigious Italian chef, Daniel Canzian, has joined us onboard the VYR.
But Versilia Yachting Rendez-vous also means shopping in the beautiful setting of Forte dei Marmi, thanks to the courtesy car service provided by Maserati. During the days of the exhibition, exhibitors will be able to book the service for their top clients, by inquiring at Maserati’s spot inside the Exclusive Court. Exhibitors will also be able to offer their clients a VIP Card, which will give them the right to numerous benefits, like the possibility of obtaining two VIP tickets to the VYR, valid for the four days of the event; access to the VIP and lounge areas at the show; two invitations to the exclusive party on the day of the inauguration; a concierge service offered by the Augustus Hotel & Resort of Forte dei Marmi, and the possibility of making use of a personal shopper, an assistant that will accompany and guide the client around the best boutiques in Versilia. 
But the VYR has more surprises in store: the conference part will also carry significant weight during the days of the show. Nautica Italiana, in fact, will be in the front line, organising a few relevant events, starting from the presentation of the data concerning the national and international nautical sectors, as presented in the Market Monitor research, carried out in collaboration with Deloitte and scheduled for Friday 11 May at 10:30 am. Always on Friday, at 3:30 pm, there will be a design conference entitled “How design is changing living on land and living on board” - the most important international event dedicated to new design trends and changes to lifestyles on board and ashore, with the participation of important international speakers. Finally, on Saturday 12 at 3:30 pm there will be a Legislative Round Table, where the recovery of the Italian nautical sector will be discussed, particularly focusing on the contrast between marinas and the territory.

An integral part of the Versilia Yachting Rendez-vous will be the events, planned both inside and outside the main event, with the purpose of involving the entire territory and celebrating the combination between the Boating, Art, Design, Fashion and Food.

It all begins on Thursday 10 May, the first day of the exhibition, with the Inauguration Ceremony at 11 am.   
The flag will be raised by the Port Authorities of Viareggio, and the ribbon will be cut at the Darsena Europa dock (Piazza Palombari dell’Artiglio) in the presence of the institutions and the Italian Navy Band. A “lap of honour” and visit of the exhibition will follow. At 11 am, the conference part of VYR will begin for the professionals: it begins with SymbioTe (Symbiosis of smart objects across IoT environments) in the Tecnopool space. This is a European project on the Internet of Things, which has the objective of creating a standard capable of putting two or more closed systems in communication (with different communication protocols). At 12 o’clock in the Darsena Italia conference hall, there will be the B&St (Broker and shipyard trading) event, dedicated to all professionals in the sector and to the shipyards wishing to expand their collaborations networks and to explore new market opportunities, in which training, networking, business meetings between pleasure boat yards and yacht brokers will be at the centre of the debate. At 6 pm, good music will be provided on the Gold Floating Lounge, a floating island at the VYR in the heart of Darsena Italia dock: here the atmosphere will be brought to life by the arias of Giacomo Puccini - the composer from Lucca - performed by professional musicians. The evening will end with an exclusive, invitation-only party, reserved for exhibitors, in the club house at the Augustus Hotel & Resort in Forte dei Marmi. 

Painting and music will provide the background to the day on Friday 11 May. For those who are interested in the conference part, on the other hand, the appointment is at 11 am in the VYR conference halls, with the second part of SymbioTe and B&St. Painting will be the theme in the afternoon: at 5 pm, VYR will host local Painter Giorgio Michetti, who will create works of art live, directly on the canvas, especially for the occasion. At 6 pm, the Via Coppino Happy Hour will begin, involving residents, exhibitors and visitors. At the same time, in front of the Darsena Italia dock, there will be a circus art performance on the Gold Floating Lounge. The evening will end with a DJ set by Radio Monte Carlo in the Darsena Italia dock, and a fireworks display at 10:30 pm. 

The combination between art and the nautical industry will be the leitmotif on Saturday 12 May. In collaboration with the Municipality of Pietrasanta, an artistic, cultural, and convivial itinerary will be created in the splendid setting of Pietrasanta. Boats participating in the Versilia Yachting Rendez-vous will be transformed into wonderful art galleries, offering the clients and guests a day of culture onboard their vessels. At the same time, the art galleries of Pietrasanta will host a series of particularly evocative yacht models, which will shed light on Viareggio’s boatbuilding vocation with an artistic twist. There is a full programme of events: it begins at 6 pm with a round table entitled “Quando diritto e impresa incontrano l’arte” [When law and business encounter art] at the Navigo Garden. This will be followed by a tour of the city’s galleries, leading up to the conclusive evening in Piazza del Duomo with a street band performance.  

Inside the VYR perimeter, on the other hand, there will be a presentation of the “Rapporto ricerca CNA sulla filiera nautica” [CNA research report on the nautical production chain], scheduled at 10 o’clock in the Darsena Italia conference hall.  At 5 pm, live performances by the group of artists coming from Lucca Comics & Games along the docks. The evening ends with a live exhibition on the Gold Floating Lounge by the Tofanelli Jazz Quintet, from 6 pm to 7:30 pm.  

The last day of the exhibition, Sunday 13 May, opens with an event dedicated to sailing enthusiasts in the Darsena Toscana dock. Here, a group of young sailors will challenge one another in a regatta starting at 9 am. This will be followed by the award ceremony at the Club Nautico Versilia. At 11:30 am, on the other hand, the Museo della Marineria will show how the boatyards in Viareggio were born, with testimonies by local boat builders. At 2 pm the B kit Challenge is scheduled. This is a practical competition for moorers, in the Darsena Italia dock. At 3.30 pm in the Navigo Garden, the Wista - Women’s international Shipping and trading Association - award will be handed out. This international organisation is dedicated to networking among women covering management-level roles in the maritime industry.  

We look forward to seeing you from 10 to 13 May in Viareggio, with the second edition of the Versilia Yachting Rendez-vous!