The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Hello Cairo!

The weekend guide has always been our favourite piece of the week. It’s somewhat cathartic; we get to plan out our own weekends as we watch the clocks, and with so much going on this week, there are plenty of options around the city. From theatre and art, to music and clubbing, it’s a tough choice. We can only guide you, so to speak; these most important of decisions lay in your own hands!

This Thursday, the Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival continues and will be offering more of the best arts and culture events around. Falaki Theatre hosts macabre play, ‘End/Igné’ which will be performed by Algerian troupe, Compagnie l’Ajouad and Sherazade has a night of live music featuring Khadafi Dub, DeeKay and Sham MCs, while Friends Café bring Spanish-Egyptian collaboration, ‘Augmented Spaces’. Elsewhere, at Hotel Viennoise, ‘InterLAB Cairo-Dresden’ allows Cairenes to explore the relationship between art and new media, while another festival, Hal Badeel at the Townhouse Gallery, will host a special Capoeira performance.

Now enough of that, where’s the party at? Well, DJ Feedo will be at Otium for an r&b night, while Villa Mercedes introduces Underground Night. For a less hectic night of fun, perhaps performances by High on Body Fat and Abo Wel Shabab will satisfy at Cairo Jazz Club.

More live music can be found at Photopia with Ramy Essam performing as well as Meshwar Band taking over Beit El Raseef and Jazz Mate hosting another Oriental Jazz Night. Egyptian singer, Fayrouz Karawaya will also be putting on a show at El Sawy Culturewheel.

Friday brings more entertainment in the form of Mashrou3 Al Mareekh at Darb 1718, while live music can be found at Jazz Mate with Swing with Sofia. Elsewhere, Cairo Opera House welcomes Hassan Sharara for a conservatoire concert, while Massar Egbari and Andromida are live at El Sawy Culturewheel.  

In Heliopolis, Cavallini welcomes DJs Khaled Hussien and Ahmed Raouf to the decks, O Bar hosts its own r&b night and Amici Heliopolis throws another one of their tasty Lebanese Friday Nights.

Feeling a little down about the state of Egypt? Then head to Sufi for a screening of ‘Home’, which will supposedly make you realise that the entire world’s problems are indeed intertwined – doesn’t that make you feel a whole lot better already?

Saturday sees one of the most anticipated D-CAF events launch; Nassim Soleimanpour’s ‘WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT’ will begin its run at Falaki Theatre. Also on the theatre front, Hal Badeel Festival brings multimedia performance play, ‘No Exit’, to Townhouse Gallery. Meanwhile, Cairo-born Palestinian musician, Tamer Abu Ghazaleh, will be performing at Darb 1718.

Start your day earlier and head to Nūn Center for either their ‘Embodiment & Holistic Storytelling’ event, or get your shopping done for the coming week at their Farmers Market. If being soulful and healthy is not on the menu for this Saturday morning, then make your way to Amici Heliopolis for Breakfast (And Booze).

Back to the evening’s proceedings, Bamboo will be hosting another edition of Lebanese Love, while Amici Heliopolis is back again for Greek Night and its Zamalek counterpart lays out Wine & Fondue Night.

Newly opened exhibition, ‘Bread & Water’ by Farid Fadel, is new at Cala Art Gallery and there are more exhibitions, as well as more parties, more live music and more everything on the Cairo 360 events calendar – check it out!

Happy weekend, Cairo!