CAIRO · Culture
The Starlight Festival at the Giza Pyramids on 9 and 10 October leads a month of opera, ballet, arena rap and Arab music. The month, day by day.
CAIRO: Cairo’s biggest October nights are the Starlight electronic music festival beside the Giza Pyramids on 9 and 10 October, a Tul8te rap concert on 16 October and the 34th Arab Music Festival from 20 October. Egypt’s banks and government offices close tomorrow, Thursday 8 October, for a moved Armed Forces Day holiday.
This guide is for people who live in Cairo or stay for weeks, including visitors from the United States. Prices are converted at about US$0.0191 per Egyptian pound and US$1.12 per euro (RT, 7 October 2026). Where an organiser has not published a price, we say so.
Key facts
- Who: residents, expats and visitors in Cairo, Egypt.
- What: seven events from 8 to 30 October 2026, from a pyramid-side festival to the Arab Music Festival.
- Biggest nights: Starlight Festival on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October, Tul8te on Friday 16 October, Arab Music Festival opening on Tuesday 20 October.
- Prices: Starlight from about US$167 (EUR 149) on 9 October and about US$144 (EUR 129) on 10 October; Tul8te from about US$19 (EGP 1,000); Fatma Said from about US$48 (EGP 2,500), sold out.
- Why it matters: Banks close on Thursday 8 October and reopen on Sunday 11 October, so change money before the long weekend.
8 to 10 October: Holiday, Starlight Festival and the Opera House Anniversary
Public holiday. The Armed Forces Day anniversary of the 1973 October War falls on Tuesday 6 October. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly moved the paid day off to Thursday 8 October for government employees. The Central Bank of Egypt says banks are closed on Thursday 8 October and reopen on Sunday 11 October.
Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October, doors 5:00 pm
Starlight Festival by EXIT and P+US
Beside the Great Pyramids of Giza · Single night from EUR 149 (about US$167) on 9 October and from EUR 129 (about US$144) on 10 October
The festival is billed as an electronic music weekend with more than 50 artists across at least three stages. The Fever listing names Adriatique, Indira Paganotto, Pete Tong, Vintage Culture and WhoMadeWho on 9 October, and Charlotte de Witte, Michael Bibi and Enrico Sangiuliano on 10 October. Doors are open from 5:00 pm to midnight. The age limit is 21 and over. There are no door sales or re-entry, and tickets carry no refunds or exchanges. A welcome party on 8 October and a farewell party on 10 October are also listed. Fever says the 9 and 10 October tickets are selling fast.
Fever sells in euros, so your dollar cost moves with the EUR/USD rate. Our earlier report covers the line-up: Starlight Festival at the Giza Pyramids.
Saturday 10 October, 8:00 pm
Cairo Opera House 38th Anniversary Concert
Cairo Opera House Main Hall, Zamalek · Price not confirmed
The Opera House marks its anniversary with the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, the Cairo Opera Company and the Cairo Opera Orchestra. The official calendar lists the evening, but the programme and ticket price were not published when we checked. Ask the box office.
14 and 15 October: Le Corsaire at the Opera House
Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 October, 8:00 pm
Le Corsaire Ballet
Cairo Opera House Main Hall, Zamalek · Price not confirmed
The Cairo Opera Ballet Company and the Cairo Opera Orchestra perform the classical ballet on two evenings. The Opera House lists booking through Tazkarti, the ticketing platform it uses. We could not confirm prices, so check the booking page.
16 October: Tul8te at Al Manara Arena
Friday 16 October, doors 3:00 pm, show 5:00 pm
Tul8te Live
Al Manara Arena, New Cairo · General admission (Wave 2) EGP 1,000 (about US$19); Fan Pit (Wave 2) EGP 1,500 (about US$29); Golden Circle (Wave 1) EGP 2,500 (about US$48)
Tul8te is an Egyptian rapper, and this is an arena-scale night. The organiser, Urchin Experiences, sells tickets on TicketsMarche in waves, so the cheapest tier rises as earlier waves close. A full ticket is required from age 12, children under 12 are not admitted, and there are no refunds or exchanges. Read our preview: Tul8te at Al Manara Arena.
20 to 30 October: Arab Music Festival and Fatma Said
Tuesday 20 to Friday 30 October
34th Arab Music Festival and Conference
Cairo Opera House, Zamalek · Programme and prices not yet announced
The 34th edition is dedicated to the memory of the Egyptian singer Hany Shaker. The festival opens on Tuesday 20 October and closes on Friday 30 October. As of late September the Opera House had unveiled the poster, but the full programme and prices were still to come. Check the Opera House site before you plan. More in our report on the Arab Music Festival.
Thursday 29 October, 9:00 pm (doors 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm)
Fatma Said at the Grand Egyptian Museum
Grand Egyptian Museum, Giza · Seven tiers from EGP 2,500 to EGP 12,000 (about US$48 to US$229), listed as sold out
The Egyptian soprano performs with conductor Nader Abbassi in a programme billed around film music. Formal dress is required and a full ticket is needed from age 12. TicketsMarche listed every tier as sold out when we checked on 7 October. Look for returned tickets on the official seller, and avoid resale listings.
Planning your Cairo October
Check three things before you book. First, the seller: Tazkarti handles Opera House shows, TicketsMarche handles Tul8te and Fatma Said, and Fever or TicketEgypt handle Starlight. Second, the hall: most Opera House evenings are in the Main Hall in Zamalek, while Tul8te is in New Cairo and Starlight and Fatma Said are in Giza.
Third, the currency. Fever charges in euros for Starlight, and local sites charge in Egyptian pounds. One US dollar bought about 52.3 Egyptian pounds on 7 October, so a small move in the rate changes the dollar price only slightly.
For more events across Egypt and the Arab world, see our guides to Alexandria in October 2026 and the Cairo International Film Festival.
What it means for you. A reader in the United States can buy Starlight in euros through Fever on a US card, while Opera House and arena tickets cost a fraction of comparable US prices. The real risks are sold-out tiers and late programme changes, so confirm with the seller before you travel.
We could not confirm prices for the Opera House anniversary concert, Le Corsaire or the Arab Music Festival nights, nor the full Arab Music Festival line-up. We will update this guide when organisers publish them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the biggest events in Cairo in October 2026?
The Starlight Festival beside the Giza Pyramids on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October, Tul8te at Al Manara Arena on Friday 16 October, and the 34th Arab Music Festival at the Cairo Opera House from Tuesday 20 to Friday 30 October.
When is the Armed Forces Day holiday in Egypt in 2026?
The anniversary is Tuesday 6 October, but the paid holiday for government employees was moved to Thursday 8 October. Banks close that day and reopen on Sunday 11 October.
How much are Starlight Festival tickets?
Fever lists single nights from EUR 149 (about US$167) on 9 October and from EUR 129 (about US$144) on 10 October. Prices can rise in later sales waves.
Where can I buy tickets for Cairo events in October 2026?
Tazkarti sells Opera House shows such as Le Corsaire, TicketsMarche sells Tul8te and Fatma Said, and Fever and TicketEgypt sell Starlight.
Can I still see Fatma Said at the Grand Egyptian Museum?
Probably not by normal sale. TicketsMarche listed all seven tiers as sold out on 7 October, so check for returned tickets and avoid resellers.
Sources: Fever, Starlight Festival, TicketsMarche, Tul8te, TicketsMarche, Fatma Said, Cairo Opera House calendar, CairoScene, holiday, Arab Finance, banks, Nile FM, Fatma Said. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief