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

Hello Cairo,

We’ll spare you the small-talk this week and dive right into what’s looking like a busy weekend across Egypt’s capital. Ready?

Thursday is a huge night for fans of electronic music fans, with the likes of Brazilian DJ, Gustavo Mota, headlining a line-up at Omar Khayyam Boat that also include locals, Abou Samra and M.Fayek. Elsewhere, the Temple embraces the cold season with Winter Fresh – a party that is set to welcome Mykonos-based DJ, Anastasis Basias, and Cairo’s DJ AK, while nineteen84 Management teams up with Bershka for the first #ForTheLoveOfMusic in Cairo, with Disco Masr and Ramy DJunkie providing the music.

Over in Maadi, meanwhile, DJ Neil Edwards returns to the Tap, while Cairo Jazz Club kicks off its weekend with a huge night of live music featuring local bands, Funk OFF, Raindogs and Vybe and electro-disco producer, BLUFRANK, performs at Underground in Mohandiseen.

Away from music, a busy weekend for cultural centre, Darb 1718, begins with screenings from experimental filmmakers, Gabriel Abrantes & Salomé Lamas, on a night that will see the Portuguese directors also take part in a Q&A.

Meanwhile, in New Cairo, the inaugural edition of the Cairo International Tango Festival is taking place – over three days – at Dusit Thani LakeView Cairo, and Egyptian artist, Shady El Noshokaty, hosts a Q&A at Gypsum Gallery as his latest exhibition, Colony: Latitude, comes to a close at the Garden City gallery.

Friday kicks off bright and early with a heavy dose of Christmas spirit at Galleria40, as day two of the Winter Festival welcomes Alexandria natives, Massar Egabri, on a day that will also offer plenty of festive activities for kids.

A boozy brunch can be found at Giza Nile-side lounge, Eat & Barrel, meanwhile, as this weekend’s edition of Eat to the Beat welcomes hip-hop maestro, DJ Feedo. Later in the afternoon, Craftopia Egypt are setting up shop at Downtown Katameya Mall for an Early Chrismas Bazaar and the legendary Yehya Khailil will be performing at InterContinental Semiramis, while even later in the evening, VENT is set to emerge from the shadows and takeover Café d’Nile to celebrate resident DJ, Ahmed Samy, turning 31.

Just a couple of boats over, meanwhile, Blurr Entertainment are bringing Mobilee Records’ infamous #LetGo night, while over at Cairo Jazz Club, DJs Loulii, Nourre Fahmy and Sebzz take to the decks.

Another musical legend in Omar Khairat is set to perform at Cairo Festival City, meanwhile, while at the other end of the musical scale, Beatles tribute band, Glass Onion, return to the Tap. More live music can be found at Zamalek’s 3elbt Alwan, as Noha Fekry and the talented Rami Attallah perform together, as well as at Garden City’s ROOM Art space, where local rockers, Khayal, and Lebanese band, Roswell, take to the stage.

Speaking of Roswell, the group is set to perform for the second time in as many days on Saturday, this time at the Tap, while Cairo Jazz Club winds down the weekend with the music of Wust El Balad.

Earlier in the day, Ahmed Harfoush is the man charged with the music at Fairmont Nile City, as the Cairo crooner performs at Saigon Restaurant & Lounge’s Saturday Jazz brunch Party.

Elsewhere, the Sakia Puppet Theatre pay homage to the brilliant Mohamed Mounir with the return of their special show at El Sawy Culturewheel, while former The Voice contestant, Amira Reda, is live at 3elbt Alwan.

There’s plenty of art to be found across the city, too, with Darb 1718 set to kick off month-long exhibition, Something Else, on Saturday, with tens of local and international artists taking part through exhibitions, discussions, shows and more.

These are just a few of the events taking place across Cairo this weekend – check out the Cairo 360 events calendar for more. Wooh!