The Festival Series: Brand-New Event Combines Poker and Casino Tournaments in Tallinn on June 7-13
Many poker players in Europe have been itching for live-action with most casinos closed throughout the continent and international festivals put on hold.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel with something new and exciting recently announced with Cash Game Festival Co-Founder Martin "Franke" von Zweigbergk and Acroud Ltd as the driving forces behind a brand new festival, aptly called The Festival.
The first event is scheduled for June 7-13 at the Olympic Park Casino with a second event also on the schedule this year to take place in Bratislava at Banco Casino on Sept. 20-26.
Unique Roulette & Blackjack Tournaments Alongside Poker
The Festival Series is something that the poker world has never seen before, at least on such a grand scale. The series features not only a robust tournament schedule and nonstop cash games but also features innovative casino and sports wagering events as well.
von Zweigbergk, known as "Franke" to the poker world, has been creating poker events mainly in the Nordic market since 2006, and is well-known for his innovative ideas in the past. He co-created the first-ever poker festival dedicated to cash game players aptly named The Cash Game Festival, where poker players had a full experience including VIP activities including VIP parties, world-class dinners, and more away from the poker felt.
Expect something special at The Festival as well with von Zweigbergk planning many great events outside of the casino as part of a VIP package for both events on tap this year.
PokerNews will be present at both events to not only bring you blow-by-blow coverage of the Main Event but also share the excitement of the other events as well whether they be poker, casino, sports wagering, or away from the casino entirely.
The Festival Comes to Tallinn June 7-13
The premier event for The Festival takes place in the majestic Estonia capital of Tallinn from June 7-13 at the Olympic Park Casino and its connecting hotel and conference area at the Hilton Tallinn Park. The highlight of the series is the �550 NLHE Main Event scheduled to take place June 8-12.
There are not only plenty of other hold'em events on the schedule but mixed game enthusiasts have something to be excited about as well with tournaments planned in many different poker variants including Pot-Limit Omaha (both four- and five-card), Sviten Special, Open Face Chinese Pineapple, 8-Game, and Dealer's Choice.
This is not all for those just coming for poker as there will be nonstop cash games running 24/7 available in any poker variant you can think of at stakes both low and high.
Additionally, The Festival boasts both a Blackjack tournament and Roulette tournament. Both of these events feature a �250 buy-in and run from June 7-12. Other non-poker events will be added to the schedule for Bratislava including a Sports Wagering tournament.
Hosts Excited for Return of Live Play
"Franke" couldn't be any more thrilled about bringing together poker, casino games, sports wagering, and more under one roof. "It��s super exciting to see this all finally line up and fall into place," von Zweigbergk shared.
"We are here to offer a fun challenge, spread the joy and enable long-lasting relationships. All in beautiful cities around the globe. What a great way for new and old friends to meet and enjoy a good time together through their favorite games!" he said.
Olympic Park Casino is also excited about introducing something new to its players and hopes this is the first of many to be held in Tallinn.
"I��m thrilled to be part of the premiere The Festival in Tallinn��, said Risto Suurp?ld, Olympic Park Casino Manager. ��I see this as an excellent opportunity to provide players with something fresh. A great experience, and some worthy prizes along the way. We hope to serve as a long-time partner for the series."
How to Qualify for The Festival
The Festival has announced four partners with about a dozen more to come according to von Zweigbergk. Both Paf and OlyBet, the online arm of Olympic Casino that operates on the GGPoker Network, have been announced as partners where players can win a package including tournament buy-ins, hotel accommodations, a VIP package, and more.
Olympic Casino, which recently closed its doors for a month, is also an announced partner where players will be able to qualify for events on The Festival schedule for a fraction of the cost.
In addition, The Festival will be hosting live streams leading up to the event on its The Festival OG Twitch channel where giveaways will also take place.
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to keep informed about whether you will be able to travel to Estonia without quarantine as things can change quickly. Up-to-date information on countries and self-isolation requirements for passengers can be found on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs homepage.
The Festival Tallinn Schedule
| Date | Time (EEST) | Event | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 7 | 5 p.m. | Mega Satellite to Main Event | �55 |
| 5 p.m. | Blackjack Day 1a | �250 | |
| 6 p.m. | Sviten Special Day 1a | �220 | |
| 7 p.m. | Rake Free Satellite to Main Event | �20 | |
| 9 p.m. | Roulette Day 1a | �250 | |
| June 8 | 12 p.m. | Main Event Day 1a | �550 |
| 1 p.m. | Sviten Special Day 1b | �220 | |
| 2 p.m. | Mega Satellite to Main Event | �55 | |
| 5 p.m. | NLH Knockout | �220 | |
| 5 p.m. | Roulette Day 1b | �250 | |
| 9 p.m. | 4 Card PLO Turbo | �330 | |
| 9 p.m. | Blackjack Day 1b | �250 | |
| June 9 | 12 p.m. | Main Event Day 1b | �550 |
| 1 p.m. | Sviten Special Final Day | ||
| 3 p.m. | Mega Satellite to Main Event | �55 | |
| 5 p.m. | Progressive Knockout | �220 | |
| 5 p.m. | Blackjack Day 1c | �250 | |
| 6 p.m. | 5 Card PLO | �110 | |
| 9 p.m. | Roulette Day 1c | �250 | |
| June 10 | 12 p.m. | Main Event Day 1c | �550 |
| 1 p.m. | Roulette Day 2 | ||
| 3 p.m. | NLH Knockout | �220 | |
| 5 p.m. | 8-Game | �330 | |
| 7 p.m. | Main Event Day 1d Turbo | �550 | |
| 7 p.m. | Blackjack Day 2 | ||
| 9 p.m. | NLH Hyper Turbo | �110 | |
| June 11 | 12 p.m. | Main Event Day 2 | �550 |
| 1 p.m. | NLH Deepstack Day 1 | �220 | |
| 5 p.m. | Open Face Chinese Pineapple | �330 | |
| 5:30 p.m. | Roulette Final Day | ||
| 7 p.m. | NLH Turbo | �550 | |
| 9 p.m. | PLO Hyper Turbo | �110 | |
| 9:30 p.m. | Blackjack Final Day | ||
| June 12 | 12 p.m. | Main Event Final Day | |
| 12 p.m. | NLH Deepstack Day 2 | ||
| 1 p.m. | Progressive Knockout | �440 | |
| 3 p.m. | Deepstack Turbo | �110 | |
| 5 p.m. | NLH High Roller | �2,000 | |
| 7 p.m. | PLO Knockout | �330 | |
| 10 p.m. | NLH Win the Button | �110 | |
| June 13 | 12 p.m. | NLH Deepstack Final Day | |
| 12 p.m. | NLH High Roller Final Day | ||
| 12 p.m. | Dealer's Choice | �220 | |
| 1 p.m. | NLH Turbo | �110 | |
| 1 p.m. | NLH Hyper Turbo | �55 |
Keep informed of everything happening at The Festival website.
