Two stars and a pair of trainers: why Monza is walking for Luca and Giada
Walk for Luca and Giada on Sunday 8 November: the event starts at 10 am at Cascina San Fedele in Monza Park.
You can walk the Two Stars Run. It starts at 10 am on Sunday 8 November 2026 at Cascina San Fedele, on Viale Cavriga in Monza Park. Choose 5 or 10 km and register online through Rete del Dono by 9 pm on Saturday 7 November, or sign up at the event village on Sunday from 8 to 9.30 am if there are places left. Entry is €10, and you don’t need a medical certificate.
If the name made you think, ‘Lovely idea, but I don’t run,’ you might want to give it another look. Both routes at the first Two Stars Run are open to walkers, and neither is competitive. As for the two stars? Before they gave a charity walk its name, they were what a dad called his daughters.
‘My two little stars’
That was Luca Maria Viganò’s nickname for Aurora and Serena when they were little. Aurora shared the story when the event was presented. The sisters kept the nickname for a day dedicated to two people in their family: their dad, Luca, and their little cousin Giada. Once you know where it comes from, the name on the poster reads a little differently. First there’s a dad talking to his girls. Then there’s an invitation to meet in the park.
Luca was a doctor who loved to run. His daughters recalled going with him to New York for the 2023 marathon, where he was able to run. It’s a memory that helps explain why the sisters chose to bring people together on the move. Giada Binetti was nine. She loved tennis, school and learning new things, according to the Italian Brain Tumour Association. Luca and Giada both died of a brain tumour.
How a family memory brought people together
The first step Serena described was getting in touch with the Italian Brain Tumour Association, known as AITC. The association introduced the sisters to MB Runners and Avis Monza. Together they turned the idea into something people could join: a meeting point at the farmhouse, two distances to choose from and a fundraiser for brain tumour research. AITC is organising the event with the two Monza groups and says the proceeds will go to the association to support research.
Research is the stated destination for the proceeds of the event. If AITC is new to you, there’s another side to its work: the association already offers free psychological support for patients and relatives, including remote appointments. In Monza, the service is available at San Gerardo hospital. It’s an existing service, separate from the fundraiser announced for the Two Stars Run.
If this is your first visit to Monza Park, save the exact meeting point. Cascina San Fedele is the farmhouse on the rise with the decorated façade. That’s where both routes start and finish. If you’re driving, the Royal Villa lists the Porta Monza car park on Viale Cavriga as its main car park. Allow time for the walk from the car park to the farmhouse.
Having a choice makes the invitation easier to say yes to. If you’re coming with a friend and fancy spending the morning together, you can walk the five kilometres side by side. If you’d rather run, either distance is an option. Once the shoes are off, there’s a question to take home with you: what will you remember about Luca and Giada now that you know a little of their story?
Two Stars Run: before you set out
Where and when: Sunday 8 November, Cascina San Fedele, Viale Cavriga, Monza Park. The event village opens at 8 am and the walk and run start at 10 am. The cut-off for finishing back at the farmhouse is 12.30 pm.
Registration: online until 9 pm on 7 November. The rules also list the Affari&Sport shop at Via Confalonieri 103 in Villasanta and the event stand on Sunday from 8 to 9.30 am. Places are limited, so check availability before setting off.
Fee and requirements: €10 per person. Under-14s take part free and must be accompanied. No medical certificate is required; the rules provide for a declaration of fitness to take part and a release for event photography and filming.
Accessibility: the available sources do not confirm that either route is wheelchair accessible. If you need to know about surfaces, slopes or access to the start, email the organisers at twostarsrun@gmail.com before registering.
