Springtime in Egypt is traditionally celebrated with a festival which involves eating rotten fish outdoors. But cultural operators are also in the habit of programming festivals throughout the season, and this year is no different.
Besides big cultural happenings, ongoing events in Cairo include regular live music nights at Room Art Space and Cairo Jazz Club, and on Wednesdays with Zigzag and Nacelle. Eish & Malh’s Slow Downtown, a market for organic local food and live music, is the first Friday of every month, and their Dinner at the Movies collaboration with Cimatheque continues too.
Below is a timeline of festivals and other significant culture events in Cairo and elsewhere from February to May. Navigate the month using the top bar, while bearing in mind that not all dates are set in stone and may be subject to change. More details and links below.
February
Cairo International Book Fair
January 26 – February 10 in Cairo
The Bus Days & Otherwise theater week
January 31 – February 4 at Cairo’s Jesuit Theater
Cinedelta Documentary Film Festival
February 1 – 9 in Tanta, Alexandria and Rosetta
I, Daniel Blake and double bill Moug + I am the People
I, Daniel Blake starting February 1
Double bill starting February 15 at Cairo’s Zawya
Mada’s previous coverage of Zawya
Cairo Video Festival
February 5 – 28
City Lights, Ya Sem & The Last Supper at Falaki Theater
City Lights shows from February 9 – 11
Ya Sem shows from February 16 – 18
Mada’s previous coverage of Ya Sem
The Last Supper shows from February 23 – 25
Mada’s previous coverage of The Last Supper
Cairo Literature Festival
February 11 – 16
5 Raqs
February 13 – 19
Link to Cairo Contemporary Dance Center
PhotoCairo 6
February 15 – March 23
Link to Contemporary Image Collective
Malak Yacout exhibition at Townhouse
19 February – 5 April
Ali, the Goat and Ibrahim
Released March 1
In the Last Days of the City
March
Ibero-American Film Week
March 15 – 21
Mada’s previous coverage of Zawya
Daniele Genadry exhibition at Gypsum
February 22 – April 1
Mada’s previous coverage of Gypsum
Cairo International Women’s Film Festival
March 4 – 9
Cimatheque March Program: Films on Music
March 2 – 31
Syria month at NVIC
March 9 – 26
Di-Egy Festival
March 7 – 14
Hakawy International Arts Festival for Children
March 8 – 14
Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival
March 17 – April 8
Mada’s previous coverage of D-CAF
Backstreet Festival in Alexandria
March 30 – April 4
April
India by the Nile
March 8 – April 27
Mahmoud Khaled exhibition at Gypsum
Exact dates to be announced
Final chapter of If Not For That Wall at CIC
Exact dates to be announced
Link to Contemporary Image Collective
Alexandria International Festival for Contemporary Theater
22-29 April
Link to Bibliotheca Alexandrina Art Center
May
Panorama of the Arab Film
Exact dates to be announced
Mada’s previous coverage of Zawya
Goethe Film Week
Exact dates to be announced
Mada’s previous coverage of the Goethe Institute
Sandbox Festival
May 4 – 8
Nassim el-Raqs
May 4 – 9
