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

Hello Cairo!

So it feels like summer, but is it? Has Egypt managed to surpass spring and jump head first into the scorching heat of summertime? Nope. It’s just a heat wave, but it sure does feel like August. We just wanted to share those feelings with you. Now, onto the topic at hand: your weekend in Cairo.

The partying never stops, whether you like it or not, so follow the party sheep to Tamarai this Thursday because 4 the Love of House brings everyone’s favourite DJing siblings, the Awadi Brothers, to entertain on the decks. Cavallini hosts another LIV event with DJ Carlos and Otium welcomes back DJ Feedo once again for an R&B Night. DJ Simon pumps it up at Roof Bar and Y Lounge takes you up in the air – metaphorically – with  Air Nights.

For a more refined evening, Cairo has plenty  in store. North African folk music group, Rango, take to the stage at El Dammah Theater for Free Arts, Daniel Malek and Glass Onion entertain the crowds of Cairo Jazz Club, while Swing with Hungarian singer, Sofia Balogh, will ensue at Jazz Mate.

Bikya Takes Over C-Town again this weekend, but only for tonight, with live music and standup comedy filling their Nasr City branch; Sufi bookstore will have some Sufi whirling with Amer El Tuni, while reverred composer, Mohamed Abdel Wahab, will be commemorated at Cairo Opera House by the Abdel Halim Nowera Ensemble. The ‘Rasputin‘ ballet will be performed on El Gomhouria Theatre stage.

Wake up Friday and get some shopping done for Mother’s Day; Designopolis hosts a Mother’s Day Bazaar, the Workshops in Maadi has a Community Market, the Club in Sheikh Zayed offers another Mother’s Day Bazaar, and closer to home (at least our home), the Marriott Hotel’s Nebny Mother’s Day Bazaar allows you to do a bit of charity while you’re at it.

After having a good night’s sleep perhaps it is now time to party, and Friday offers more of that. Tamarai will take Cairo back in time with Top of the Pops, Y Lounge brings in DJs Kareem Auf and Shady Maher for their Let’s Glow Tonight event, DJ Zizo spins at Roof Bar, and Cavallini calls their night, Excess Friday. Any Irish expats should take note that ACE club will be hosting St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations.

If partying isn’t on the menu, head to Sufi for a screening of ‘Samsara’, check out Yorka perform at El Sawy Culturewheel, or catch multi-instrumentalist, Osman El Mahdy, at Cairo Opera House. Diwan in Maadi will also be hosting a ‘Going Green‘ lecture; learn how to help your environment in the simplest of ways.

Ya Mosahel! is the highlight of this Saturday; in an attempt to save their newspaper, Egypt Independent have organised a fundraiser which will feature a variety of musicians including Like Jelly, Maii Waleed and EI’s very own journalist, Steven Viney.

Another great way to start this day is at the Taste of Zamalek picnic at the Aquarium Grotto Garden, where there will be plenty of food and music from local favourites such as Cairo Kitchen and Ahmed Harfoush – respectively of course.

With time running out, and it being the last weekend before Mother’s Day, we suggest you get moving and check out one of the many bazaars happening around the city on this day. Imperial Boat in Zamalek hosts Beet El 3elah, Le Pacha 1901 has a Mother’s Day Bazaar, Sofitel el Gezirah brings you Style-Treasure.com: 2nd Mother’s Day Exhibition, Gold’s Gym Mohandiseen will hold a Mom’s Shopping Celebration Bazaar, and Intercontinental Citystars will have Souk El Hawanem.

The music must go on, and it does so at Cairo Jazz Club with Uss w Laz2 and Ashara Gharby performing. Elsewhere, shaabi group, No Comment, grace the stage at After Eight and Salalem will be at Photopia for some funky sounds. Another live show from the Met will screen at Cairo Opera House; this time it’s the opera, ‘Francesca Da Rimini’.

Running throughout the weekend at Hanager Arts Center is the Hakawy International Arts Festival for Children; a perfect way to entertain your little ones, with all sorts of entertainment, from music to theatre performances.

Exhibitions are aplenty, so be sure to pass by Omar El Nagdi’s latest collection ‘Impulsive Expressionism II’ at Al Masar Gallery. ‘Passing Faces’ by Kareem Al Qurity shares the same venue but will show in the Art Lounge, group exhibition ‘At Crossroad’ launched this week at Picasso Gallery and, showing at Art Talks, Mohamed Sharkawy’s ‘Little Moments of Happiness’ might cheer up your day.

Seeing as the weather does indeed call for some cooling down and enjoying the sunshine, check out our Cairo Guide to Swimming Pool Day Use in the City for some options on where to head. For all other needs, the Cairo 360 events page is there to oblige.

Have a wonderful weekend, Cairo!