We’ve all heard this question before: what is there to do in Kuwait? Besides an abundance of eateries and great places to go shopping, it seems that when it comes to entertainment in and around the city, people find that they have no such luck. With Hussain Al-Rasheed’s new app, KuwaitEvents, launched in August 2015, you will learn that Kuwait has so much more to offer than just food, shopping and staying glued to your smart phone.

The ACK graduate has always been interested in seeking out Kuwait’s full potential for weekend activities that exceeded the usual mall-gathering routine. “Growing up in Kuwait, I thought that all this place had to offer was food, the cinema, and sometimes the beach. There weren’t a lot of things to do – gigs, comedy shows and cultural events were scarce.” After meeting a lot of people, and through his musical and artistic interests, the pianist/guitarist found that eclectic events in the country were not out of reach. “The good thing about university was that different colleges in Kuwait had students who would organize events, making the list of ‘things to do’ bigger.”

We are so excited that Hussain has introduced us to this app, and has made it so its accessible on both Android and IOS devices by having it available to download on Playstore and iTunes Store. Although Hussain insists that the app is still evolving and we’re in for a bunch of updates and surprises, finding events in Kuwait has never been easier!

What inspired you to create this app?

I found that events posted around Kuwait on Instagram, Facebook, and blogs were extremely unorganized. I figured there should be a way for people to access everything they need in one place— an application that gathers all information, making it easy for people to discover where they want to go and what they want to do.

How does it work?

I’ve made it so that once people create an account, they can add their interests. There are shows displayed based on your interest, and what’s closest to your proximity, depending on your location. I’ve also implemented a “Fee Required” sticker to avoid confusion. The great thing about this app is that it also provides an exact location via Google Maps, making for easy GPS. When you click that you’re attending an event, a reminder is set to remind you when the event starts.

How do you feel the app is useful to people of Kuwait?

I think its useful in the way that it allows people to gain awareness of which events are happening around them, and gives them an outlet to explore their interests; comedy, theatre, improvs, live music etc. It also helps them see that there are events and elements that will keep them motivated to keep doing their thing. If you go to events to better yourself, it bridges the gap between longing and knowing, and it’s also a great way to meet new people.

What’s your process when it comes to finding events, and how can the public contribute?

For now, the app runs on two processes. Other than doing my own research via social media, blogs and word of mouth, the public emails me attachments with the information of their events. I look it over, clean it up and check its validity, then I throw it in and it exists on KuwaitEvents. This is just the beginning, though I’m looking into creating a website for people to be able to add their own events through there.

Have you been finding it to be successful thus far?

Well, I only launched in August, but I find that so far, though I’m still working on marketing, I’ve noticed a lot of positive feedback – and even a copycat attempt! It’s definitely on its way!

What are your favorite type of events to attend?

I attend a lot of the events because this is what I’m interested in – that’s the reason this app exists, after all – but, I must admit, the musical events are my favorite, especially since I’m a musician myself. I love the events held at the Yarmouk Cultural Centre and the Amricani Centre. And of course, like everyone else, I love the open-air markets and bazaars.

Any words of wisdom you’d like to pass on to our readers?

Do what you love, love what you do! The doors of opportunities will open one by one – so never give up on your passion.

Download Kuwait Events on the App Store or Playstore @KuwaitEvents.