Ricci Weekender is more than a festival – it is a love story.

Back in 1998, Gilles Peterson was introduced by Rainer Trüby to a magical club in Catania, Sicily: Mercati Generali. When Gilles first played there, he felt it was the best club in the world – a secret Sicilian gem for those in the know.

Many years later, over a lunch at Ed Wilson’s restaurant Brawn in Columbia Road Market, London, Gilles and Ed began reminiscing about their shared love of food, wine, and Sicily. The idea was born: to bring these elements together, with Mercati Generali as the beating heart of the experience.

They called Diego Vespa of Mercati Generali, and he immediately jumped on board. In 2018, the first edition of Ricci Weekender came to life.

Since then, the festival has grown into a unique gathering where chefs invited by Ed Wilson and Diego prepare signature dishes each year, winemakers from Etna share their wines that capture the soul of the terroir, and Gilles curates an exceptional lineup of international artists alongside Italy’s finest new and legendary talents.

Now in its seventh edition, Ricci Weekender continues to celebrate food, wine, and music in one of the most magical settings in the world.