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

Hello Cairo!

Between Ramadan festivities and political unrest, it seems weekends are even more eventful than usual.

Thursday is full of choices beginning with Hayy Festival 2013, which brings French-Tunisian singer, Nawal Ben Kraiem, to El Genaina Theatre’s stage. Roof Bar hosts shaabi idol, Saad El Saghir and Y Lounge welcomes Arabian knight, Mahmoud El Lithy, while Beit El Raseef will host Massar Egbari for both fetar and a performance that will follow.

More music can be found at Jazz Mate for their Special Night event, featuring Nathalie Saba, Osama Said and Yehia Santana, though there’s more shaabi sounds courtesy of Amr El Said at Cavallini and Amr 7a7a at Shababeek, while Gazaga will perform at Wikalet El Ghouri.

The unique NubaNour perfrom at El Dammah Theatre for Free Arts this evening, and Makan hosts El Sheikh Zain for an evening of Sufi singing and Inshad, while Sufi  in Zamalek will have a Sufi Whirling performance, featuring Amer El Tuni.

New arts & culture initative, ‘The Journey’, launches on Friday, offering the opportunity to visit historically relevant, yet often ignored, sites in Cairo and this week it will take participants to Gayer Anderson Museum. The Hayy Festival continues with Palestinian singer, Sana Moussa, while Mawaweel also returns, with Salalem headlining at Darb 1718.

El Sheikh Zain makes another appearance this weekend, this time at Beit El Raseef, while Saeed the Artiste shows off his tabla-playing skills at Cairo Opera House.

Saturday brings some comic relief, we hope, in the form of Beit El Raseef’s Comedy Night and Wikalet El Ghouri offers a magical performance of music and traditional dance by El Ghouri Tannoura Dance Group, while Ahl El Maghna will perform a mix of Arabic music in Cairo Opera House’s Open Air Theatre.

This is just a snapshot of the events in Cairo this weekend; check out the Cairo 360 events calendar for more!

Have a safe and productive weekend, Cairo.