Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater announces the lineup for the fourth annual Habibi Festival. A celebration of the many cultures from South West Asia and North Africa (SWANA), the festival will host five nights of the region’s contemporary and traditional music and art, Tuesday-Saturday, October 8-12. The festival will feature jubilant performances, conversations, and storytelling from NARCY, Mohamed Abozekry, Mona Miari, Israa Shalaby, Layth Sidiq, Taktouka Band, and the Karim Ziad Group featuring Mehdi Nassouli. The lineup is subject to change.
Tickets are on sale now at joespub.com.
Habibi Festival aims to take listeners on a journey through the sounds wafting across the airwaves and into the living rooms of cities spanning Marrakech to Baghdad. The programming is curated by saxophonist/composer/curator Yacine Boulares, artist/curator/producer Meera Dugal, and Director of Joe's Pub at the Public Theater, Alex Knowlton, who are bonded by the goal to create more joyful spaces for performances and perspectives from artists rooted in the SWANA region. The trio said, “Still on a high from our BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! event this summer, we are approaching the festival invigorated by the strength of the SWANA community here in NYC.”
They continued, “We're thrilled to highlight those who have been holding down the scene - from powerful vocalist Mona Miari to Layth Sidiq who leads the NY Arabic Orchestra. It is a joy to platform fresh voices in the scene like Taktouka Band and a new New Yorker: Israa Shalaby. Despite numerous visa hurdles that always complicate our work, we are thrilled that Egyptian oud virtuoso Mohamed Abozekry and gnawa superstars Karim Ziad and Mehdi Nassouli make a much awaited return to the US to give us news of how's ancient traditions are getting reimagined across the region.”
2024 Habibi Festival Schedule And Lineup
Tues, Oct 8: NARCY + Mohamed Abozekry
Wed, Oct 9: Mohamed Abozekry + Mona Miari
Thurs, Oct 10: Taktouka Band + Karim Ziad Group w/ Mehdi Nassouli
Fri, Oct 11: Layth Sidiq + Karim Ziad Group w/ Mehdi Nassouli
Sat, Oct 12: Israa Shalaby + Layth Sidiq
