MUSIC
Nory
Thur Jan 15th at 7pm
Nightclub 101, East Village
NORY take over Night Club 101 in NYC for an evening of hip-hop and rap energy you won’t want to miss. Nory is of Saudi decent and will be performing his latest album “Fuck That, This Is The Rhythm” and it’s good!
CINEMA
The Kite Runner
Thur Jan 15th at 5:30pm
Adam Street Library, Brooklyn Heights
A novelist returns to Afghanistan years after fleeing as a child and uncovers the fate of his childhood friend, set against decades of political upheaval, from the fall of the monarchy to the Taliban era and the Afghan diaspora.
WORKSHOP
Tatreez & The Art Of Resistence
Thur Jan 15th, 7-9pm
Atelier Dalal, Greenpoint
A Palestinian embroidery art workshop led by Palestinian-American artist Sabri Sundos. In this 2 hour course, students will be provided with all needed material. Through the lens of Palestinian resistance and storytelling, students will walk away with a greater understanding of not only a new skill but of a people’s fight for liberation.
PARTY
Pregame ft Zayd & Armii1n
Thur Jan 15th at 9pm
Signal
Opening the night b2b are Zayd and Monk, with Zayd bringing Beirut-rooted sensibilities into deep, minimal house shaped by NYC. Later, Pregame founder Armii1n goes b2b with Choukroun, drawing on years of global travel and diasporic listening to move fluidly across genres and geographies.
MUSIC
The Arab Blues
Fri Jan 16th, at 8pm
DROM, East Village
The Arab Blues returns to New York in celebration of their new album ‘Deserted.’The band explores the world of maqam through the propulsive grooves of West African blues.
MUSIC
Laraaji & Samer Ghadry
Fri Jan 16th at 7pm
Public Records, Boerum Hills
DREAM ROOM brings together music and sound therapy disciplines into long-form acoustic experiences designed to open the mind, heart, and ears. Public Records and Samer Ghadry continue their partnership, which took root through morning community sound meditations, now moving into collaborative evening concerts that blend Samer’s sound healing practice and percussion background with some of NYC’s best musical improvisers.
PARTY
Disco Turco
Sat Jan 17th at 10pm
DROM, East Village
A psychedelic journey into funk, disco, rock, and more at this popular, long-running, multicultural dance party
MUSIC
Mohamed Ramadan
Sat Jan 17th at 8:30pm
Madison Sq Garden, Midtown
Mohamed Ramadan is an Egyptian actor and singer known across the Arab world for his dynamic screen roles and hit music, blending pop, rap, and cultural flair with massive digital and concert reach.
PARTY
Capricorn Rising
Sat Jan 17th at 6-10pm
Saturn Road, Cobble Hill
Grounded, smooth, and a little sensual, leaning into chill grooves, alt R&B and neo-soul. Event is free and no RSVP, you can just show up.
WORKSHOP
Writing Workshop By Bushra Rehman
Sat Jan 17th, 11am-2pm
Online
A workshop by the naming of Furious Blooming: Writing into personal and collective grief. Bushra is is a fearless literary voice examining what it means to belong, rebel, and survive between worlds.
CINEMA
Foreign Body By Raja Amari
Sun Jan 18th at 1pm
Columbia University, Harlem
After the Tunisian revolution, Samia escapes to France seeking safety and a fresh start. She meets a young man, Imed, and soon finds work in the employ of the elegant Leila. But her presence in Leila's middle-class household triggers a shift in its dynamics, and soon Samia is enmeshed in a web of sexual tension.
MUSIC
Omar Offendum: Neo-Hakawati Nights
Sun Jan 18th at 6pm
Joe’s Pub, East Village
If there’s one event to catch this month, make it this one. Omar, poet and rapper, delivers a powerful performance that weaves Syrian/Arabic hakawati tradition with contemporary rap and poetry. Singular, layered, and unforgettable, this is a rare show by a truly unique artist.
WORKSHOP
Anyone Can Write By Maha Hashwi
Tue Jan 20th, 6:30-8:30pm
Boyfriend Co-op, Bushwick
Bring your honest self, your regrets, your resolutions, and a pen. This workshop will hold a mirror up to who you’re becoming. All writing levels are welcome.
CINEMA
As I Open My Eyes By Leila Bouzid
Wed Jan 21st at 7pm
Nitehawk Cinema, Prospect Park
As I Open My Eyes depicts the clash between culture and family as seen through the eyes of a young Tunisian woman balancing the traditional expectations of her family with her creative life as the singer in a politically charged rock band. Director Leyla Bouzid’s musical feature debut offers a nuanced portrait of the individual implications of the incipient Arab Spring.
EVENT HIGHLIGHT
El Souq, A Gathering of Makers
Ramadan & Eid Pop-up on January 25th
In just a few years, El Souq has become a fixture in the SWANA pop-up scene. Behind it are two forces Hanan and Dania, who have quietly built something people genuinely look forward to.
The pop-up always takes place in the same beautiful space: a large, light-filled venue with high ceilings, tucked into the heart of Greenwich Village. For one day, it becomes a gathering point, bringing together SWANA and South Asian vendors across fashion, jewelry, art, food, and more. It’s as much about meaningful shopping that it’s about wondrous discovery.
I always leave with something unexpected. Last time, it was a gold-plated ring made from real peppercorns, an instant conversation starter that still gets noticed. But beyond what I buy, I get to meet SWANA designers and genuinely beautiful souls. More than shopping, El Souq leaves you with a quiet but powerful feeling of presence, that we exist, together, in this city.
Their next pop-up is happening on January 25th from 11am to 6pm, tickets here
Have a brand to showcase? vendor applications are still open here
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— Menna curates cultural content and events for informational purposes only. Event details are subject to change—
