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

Hello Cairo!

After a cold few days, things are starting to look a little brighter weather-wise. Regardless of the temperature, though, it’s time to stop complaining, man-up and wear a damn jacket if you’re so damn cold.

Thursday provides a suitably busy start to the weekend, with plenty of live entertainment across the city, including at the increasingly popular Rooftop Lounge in Garden City where one of the few female Egyptian DJs to break through the glass ceiling, Akladios, plays her deep and tech house sets.

Elsewhere, Korba bar, the Garden, welcomes hip-hop specialist, DJ Mobbz, for We Funk on Thursdays, while Cairo Jazz Club starts the weekend with some live music courtesy of Screwdriver.

In Zamalek, Riverside hosts rapper and singer HT3 – aka Hossam L Hosainy – on a night that will also see DJs Shady Ezz and AK push some buttons, while the Nasr City branch of Bikya welcomes musicians, Rami Attallah and Ahmed Nazmi, for an evening of jazz.

It’s a typically busy night at Fairmont Nile City, meanwhile, with Noha Taha leading a laidback night at Saigon Restaurant & Lounge, belly-dancer, Leila, getting things hot and steamy at Bab El Nil and O Bar welcoming DJ Asser Nabil and DJ Irma.

Downtown’s VENT welcomes back versatile DJ, Minus T, while – on a very different note – the Farmers’ Market returns to Katameya Heights Clubhouse.

At Cairo Opera House, meanwhile, touring dance group, A Puro Tango, close the Cairo leg of their Life & Feelings tour with their last performance.

Friday sees more from Fairmont Nile City, as Lana takes to the stage at Saigon and DJ Irma returns to O Bar, but this time alongside Dr. K.

Elsewhere, Cairo Jazz Club welcomes DJ Khaled Hussein, Zamalek’s Riverside hosts DJs NTahawy and Shinzo for another edition of increasingly popular event series, Riverdeep, while  VENT welcomes Cairo Shakers – a new concept that comes from the same people behind the From Paris to Kasr El Nil nights.

Meanwhile, VENT’s neighbouring Downtown bar, After Eight, goes sha3by with the infamous DJ Figo and Sudanese music practitioners, Asyad El Zar, return to El Dammah Theater.

There’s more live music at Cairo Jazz Club on Saturday as unique, Afro-inspired band, Hadwidro, take to the stage, while Egyptian singer-songwriter, Rasha Magdy, performs at Heliopolis’ Balcon Lounge.

Back in the centre of town, Four Seasons Nile Plaza’s Graffiti takes a trip down memory lane with Hisham Tiba at Retro Lounge, Giza nightclub, Bamboo, channels the Levant with Lebanese Love and DJ Mazen closes the weekend at Downtown’s After Eight.

One of the most unique events of the weekend, meanwhile, comes at Zamalek’s Al Hurriya Park; the Koshary Festival’s main attraction is set to be an attempt to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest plate of koshary ever made, though there will be other food vendors and even a live performance by bromidic band, Cairokee.

It’s not the only festival taking place on Saturday, with Old Cairo’s Istabl Antar hosting the Gabakhana Festival, which will feature live music, screenings and other activities, all in aid of raising awareness of the area’s heritage.

There’s plenty more parties, gigs and exhibitions across the capital over the next few days – make the most of your weekend and check out the Cairo 360 events calendar.