Cairo: Events

Cairo's holidays and festivals are primarily Islamic or Coptic religious celebrations, although most holidays are celebrated equally by the entire population regardless of creed. In addition, moulids , a cross between a funfair and a religious festival, are celebrated with vigour. Lasting about a week, moulids involve Sufi zikrs (trance-like dances), snake charming, mass circumcisions, curing of the sick, sideshows, food and much, much more. Cairo celebrates three major moulids dedicated to Sayyida Zeinab, Al-Hussein and Imam as-Shafi. Check exact dates with locals. During the month of Ramadan, Islamic Cairo is the place to experience the exuberance of a Cairene Ramadan night. Apart from the teeming streets, the city's most outstanding medieval buildings come alive with musical and theatrical performances. Listings can be found in the local English-language press.

Each September, the International Experimental Theatre Festival hosts a vast array of international troupes, but loud complaints that censorship effectively stifles any experimentation compete with the applause meters. Come October the Egypt Rally encourages international 4WD teams to tear up the desert around the Pyramids and beyond. The Arabic Music Festival in early November presents a raft of classical, traditional and orchestral programs at the Opera House. In early December, the Cairo International Film Festival attracts hordes of Cairenes with supposedly uncensored celluloid screenings of flicks - tickets for anything that hints at shots of exposed flesh sell out immediately.