The Festival Weekend will close its 2026 season in Riga, Latvia, from September 10-13, featuring a €555 Mystery Bounty Main Event, mixed games, and a blackjack tournament at Olympic Voodoo Casino
The Festival Weekend series has confirmed its final stop for the 2026 season, announcing that Riga, Latvia, will host the concluding event from September 10 to 13 at Olympic Voodoo Casino. The schedule centers on a €555 Mystery Bounty Main Event, supported by a range of side tournaments and casino games, offering players multiple formats and buy-in levels as the series wraps up its annual calendar.
Main Event and Tournament Structure
The €555 Mystery Bounty Main Event is structured with three Day 1 starting flights, including a Turbo option, allowing players to enter on Thursday or Friday before Day 2 resumes on Saturday. Each starting flight provides a 40,000 chip stack, with level durations varying from 15 to 30 minutes depending on the flight. The event is designed to accommodate both local and traveling players, with late registration available through the early levels of each flight. The Mystery Bounty format means that players who eliminate others can draw for cash prizes of varying amounts, adding an extra layer of unpredictability to the tournament.
Side Events and Casino Offerings
Beyond the Main Event, the schedule features a mix of poker variants and casino competitions. Notable side events include PLO4/PLO5 BOMB Pot and PKO tournaments, a €200 NLH Progressive Bounty, OmahaJack, and a €350 Dealers Choice event that rotates through PLO Hi-Lo 8, Big O, PLO4, PLO5, and PLO6. For those interested in casino games, a €150 Blackjack Tournament is set for Thursday evening, structured as a winner-takes-all contest. Additional satellites offer players the chance to win seats in both the Riga Main Event and future Festival stops, including guaranteed tickets to The Festival Tallinn 2026.
Player Access and Online Satellites
Players can secure entry to the Riga festival through online satellites currently running on OlyBet Poker, with hundreds of seats available at lower buy-ins. The event is open to a broad range of participants, from recreational players to experienced tournament regulars. The schedule is designed to provide variety, with events running from early afternoon into late evening each day. For those tracking the broader European poker scene, the Riga stop follows a year of notable tournament action, including high-profile events such as the EPT Barcelona Super High Roller, where Kayhan Mokri recently led the field as reported in coverage of the €100,000 EPT Barcelona Super High Roller.
Schedule Highlights and Practical Details
The Festival Weekend Riga 2026 schedule begins Thursday, September 10, with satellites and the first Main Event flight, and concludes Sunday, September 13, with a €200 NLH Sunday Brunch and a final satellite to The Festival Main Event in Tallinn. Buy-ins range from €30 for satellites to €555 for the Main Event, with side events priced between €150 and €350. The structure and variety of formats are intended to appeal to players seeking more than just traditional No-Limit Hold'em, with mixed games and casino tournaments providing additional options throughout the weekend.
For players new to poker tournaments, the Mystery Bounty format used in the Main Event means that, in addition to the standard prize pool, each elimination can result in a random cash bounty. This structure increases variance and excitement, as players may win significant prizes for individual knockouts, not just for their final tournament placement. The format has grown in popularity across European poker events, offering a different risk-reward profile compared to traditional bounty or freezeout tournaments.
