Eid Al Fitr celebrations to make debut at UK's Edgbaston cricket stadium

Birmingham will also host 20,000 people at a Small Heath Park event

In July 2021, Edgbaston Stadium hosted 500 people for its first Eid Al Adha prayers. Photo: Green Lane Masjid & Community Centre / Twitter

Celebrations marking the end of Ramadan will take place for the first time this year at Edgbaston cricket stadium in Birmingham.

The Eid Al Fitr event will be held for 2,000 people who register online beforehand and will be on either May 1 or 2, depending on the sighting of the new crescent moon.

The organisers, Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre, will also host another Eid celebration. This will be at Small Heath Park and will welcome an estimated 20,000 people.

In partnership with Warwickshire County Cricket Club, the Edgbaston event will be the second time the cricket ground has hosted Muslim prayers. Last July, Edgbaston welcomed 500 people for Eid Al Adha.

The Eid Al Fitr event will include stalls, food and cricket coaching for children.

“We have worked with the Edgbaston team on a number of projects and have been impressed by their professionalism and genuine commitment to support the local community,” said Kamran Hussain, chief executive of Green Lane Masjid, a leading UK mosque in Birmingham.

This year, Edgbaston will welcome 2,000 people for prayers and celebrations to mark the end of Ramadan. Photo: Green Lane Masjid & Community Centre / Twitter

The head of Edgbaston said he was “thrilled” at the partnership, and said he wanted the famous grounds to be a “hub for the local community”.

“We’re committed to working with Kamran and his team to see how we can continue to develop the event each year and ensure that Edgbaston truly reflects the communities that we serve,” said chief executive Stuart Cain.

Meanwhile, after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19, Eid at Small Heath Park will take place with a notably smaller crowd than the 60,000-strong congregation it welcomed in pre-pandemic years.

While public health measures have reduced the number of visitors, family activities, including a funfair, will be available after prayers.

“Eid is a joyous occasion, where Muslims come together to celebrate, spend time with family and worship as a community. It is a relief to have such an important celebration return to some normality after such a long time,” said Saleem Ahmed, project manager for Eid in the Park.