The Rapid Plus
Make a Weekend of It
5–7 February 2027 · Radisson Blu Hotel, Sligo
Programme in development: The activities and timings shown on this page are part of our planned 2027 festival programme and are subject to change. Some activities are still to be confirmed. Full details will be published as the programme is finalised.
Come to Sligo for the festival’s final weekend and experience much more than a day of chess.
Festival Weekend combines the Rapid Open with talks, board games, casual chess, film, traditional Irish music, Woohah Chess, activities for women and girls, and the final day of the 9-Round Open — before everyone comes together for the Festival Farewell at Lough Gill Brewery.
Play in the Rapid Open or simply come along for the wider festival programme.
Festival Weekend is our suggested way to experience the final three days of the Sligo Chess & Culture Festival.
Your Festival Weekend in Sligo
Friday, 5 February — Arrive & Join the Festival
Arrive in Sligo on Friday and settle into the festival as the 9-Round Open enters its closing stages.
Whether you’re coming to play in Saturday’s Rapid Open or simply joining us for the weekend, Friday evening provides an easy introduction to the festival.
Chess Lounge · Open All Day
The Chess Lounge is the festival’s informal chess hub and is open throughout the day.
Drop in for a casual game, analyse tournament games, meet other players or simply spend some time around the chessboard without a tournament result at stake.
9-Round Open — Round 7 · 3:00pm
Watch the 9-Round Open enter its final weekend as players compete in Round 7 of the festival’s nine-round classical tournament.
Chess at the Cinema · Provisional
We’re planning a special chess-film screening at the local Omniplex cinema on Friday evening.
Swap the tournament hall for the big screen and enjoy a relaxed festival outing alongside players, families and visitors.
Details of the film, screening time and access arrangements will be announced once confirmed.
Traditional Irish Music — Friday Evening
Traditional Irish music in the hotel bar offers another way to spend Friday evening.
Relax after your journey, meet other festival visitors and enjoy some Irish music without having to leave the festival hotel.
Saturday, 6 February — Festival Day
Saturday is one of the busiest days of the entire festival.
Start the morning with the Rapid Open, spend time in the Festival Room and Chess Lounge, join talks and other activities, and experience the closing stages of the 9-Round Open before Woohah Chess brings a very different atmosphere to Saturday evening.
Chess Lounge · Open All Day
The Chess Lounge remains open throughout Saturday for casual games, analysis and conversation.
Whether you’re playing in the Rapid Open, watching the 9-Round Open or visiting the festival without entering a tournament, you’re welcome to drop in throughout the day.
Rapid Open · 7 Rounds · 10+5
Saturday begins with seven rounds of 10+5 rapid chess.
The FIDE-rated Rapid Open is open to everyone and can be entered as a standalone tournament.
It is also the final event of the Sligo Rapid Series, bringing the series that began in August to its conclusion at the Sligo Chess & Culture Festival. You don’t need to have played in any of the earlier Rapid Series events to enter.
Festival Room: Board Games · 11:00am–5:00pm
Drop into the Festival Room throughout the day to discover and play a selection of modern board games.
It’s a relaxed and welcoming space for players, families and visitors. Stay for one game or several, learn something new or simply enjoy some time away from the tournament hall.
Talks & Festival Activities
Saturday will feature talks, presentations and other festival activities throughout the day.
The programme is still being developed, with full details and timings to be announced as speakers and activities are confirmed.
Women in Chess Foundation Coffee & Cake · 2:45pm
Women and girls attending the festival are invited to an informal afternoon of coffee, cake and conversation.
The event brings together tournament players, casual players, family members and visitors and provides an opportunity to meet other women and girls in chess, make new connections and strengthen the community around the game.
9-Round Open — Round 8 · 4:00pm
Saturday afternoon brings the penultimate round of the 9-Round Open.
Watch some of the festival’s strongest players compete as the tournament enters its decisive final stages.
Woohah Chess Night · 7:00pm
Saturday evening brings together chess, hip-hop, music, games and social activity for one of the festival’s most distinctive events.
Woohah Chess takes chess out of the traditional tournament setting and creates a completely different atmosphere around the game.
Open to players and the public.
Sunday, 7 February — Finals & Farewells
Sunday is the final day of the Sligo Chess & Culture Festival.
Watch the 9-Round Open reach its conclusion, enjoy the remaining festival activities and then join players, families, organisers and visitors for one final gathering at Lough Gill Brewery.
Chess Lounge · Open All Day
The Chess Lounge remains open for the final day of the festival.
Drop in for casual games, analyse games from the weekend or enjoy some final chess before everyone begins the journey home.
9-Round Open — Round 9 · 10:00am
The final round of the 9-Round Open begins on Sunday morning.
After nine rounds and a week of tournament chess, the festival’s main classical tournament reaches its conclusion.
Women & Girls Simul · Provisional
We’re planning a simultaneous exhibition for women and girls as part of Sunday’s programme.
The event will offer participants the opportunity to take on a strong female player in a relaxed group setting.
Full details will be announced once confirmed.
9-Round Open Awards Ceremony
The awards ceremony provides a formal conclusion to the 9-Round Open and recognises the achievements of players across the tournament.
Full timing will be confirmed as the programme is finalised.
Festival Farewell at Lough Gill Brewery · 5:00pm
Finish your weekend — and the festival — with one last get-together at Lough Gill Brewery.
Players, families, organisers and visitors can come together for a relaxed evening of pizza, drinks, games and brewery tours before saying goodbye to Sligo.
It’s not another chess tournament or formal ceremony. It’s simply a chance for everyone to enjoy one final evening together after ten days of chess and festival activity.
Play Chess — or Just Enjoy the Festival
You don’t have to play in a tournament to enjoy Festival Weekend.
If you want competitive chess, enter the Rapid Open on Saturday. If you prefer to watch, Round 8 and the final round of the 9-Round Open take place over the weekend.
Or leave tournament chess out altogether.
Spend time in the Chess Lounge, discover games in the Festival Room, attend talks, enjoy the cinema and traditional Irish music, join Woohah Chess or simply spend some time experiencing Sligo.
Rapid Open Details →
View the Full Festival Schedule →
More Than Chess
Festival Weekend has been designed so that players, families and visitors can each create their own experience.
Around the tournament chess, the programme includes casual chess, board games, talks, film, traditional Irish music, social activities and events for women and girls, with further activities to be announced as the programme develops.
There’s no expectation that everyone follows the same itinerary.
Play seven rounds of rapid or don’t play at all. Watch the 9-Round Open. Try a new board game. Join a talk. Spend some time in the Chess Lounge. Explore Sligo. Enjoy the music. Come to Woohah Chess.
Then join everyone at Lough Gill Brewery on Sunday evening to finish the festival together.
Relax at the Hotel
The Radisson Blu offers more than somewhere to stay.
Take some time away from the festival programme with a swim in the hotel pool or unwind at the spa. The leisure facilities provide another option for players, partners and family members during the weekend.
We’re exploring the possibility of pool day passes for festival visitors who aren’t staying at the hotel. Full details will be published once arrangements with the hotel are confirmed.
Discover Sligo
Make some time during your weekend to experience Sligo beyond the festival venue.
Explore Sligo Town and the Garavogue, head towards the Atlantic coast, discover the landscapes associated with W.B. Yeats or enjoy the food, scenery and culture of County Sligo.
Plan Your Weekend
Stay at the Festival
Stay at the Radisson Blu Hotel and keep your accommodation and much of the festival programme in one place.
Arrive on Friday, enjoy a full festival day on Saturday and stay through Sunday evening for the Festival Farewell.
Getting to Sligo
Find information on travelling to Sligo by road, rail and bus, as well as options for visitors arriving through Irish airports.
Make a Weekend of It
Arrive on Friday for film and traditional Irish music.
Play seven rounds of rapid on Saturday morning, or simply join the festival for board games, talks, casual chess and other activities. Spend the afternoon around the closing stages of the 9-Round Open before experiencing Woohah Chess on Saturday night.
On Sunday, watch the final round, enjoy the remaining festival programme and finish your weekend with one last gathering at Lough Gill Brewery.
Come for the Rapid. Come for the activities. Come for the weekend.
Rapid Open Details →
View the Full Festival Schedule →
Discover Sligo →