Philadelphia Eid in the Park brings thousands to celebrate the end of Ramadan

Muslims across the Delaware Valley are celebrating Eid-al-fitr — a celebration for the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Thousands of people gathered in West Philadelphia at Fairmount Park for the inaugural Philadelphia Eid in the Park to break their month-long daily fast.

“So most of the time what you have is one masjid or two masjids or mosques doing their Eid together, but this one has brought together so many different people so that spirit of unity is a teaching that is entrenched or engrained in the Koran,” Tahir Wyatt, the executive director of Philadelphia Ramadan and Eid Fund said.

After morning prayer, attendees ate breakfast in the park outside the Please Touch Museum.

Then the celebration began with moon bounces and carnival games like potato sack racing and cotton candy and kettle corn.

Some families wore color-coordinated outfits. Nafeesiah Danaway wore a magenta and black swing garment made by her sister-in-law.

“Well I had already ordered this and then I was like, ‘I need something for the girls,’ and she was like ‘just come to the house. I got you,’” Danaway said. “Last night til like four o’clock in the morning she made the girls’ outfits to match mine.”

Vendors sold halal foods and kosher candy, fruit juices, and cheesecake bean pies. Women and girls lined up to have their hands painted with henna.

Raffin Mohammed came to the park with his family.

“It’s very important for us cause it brings all of us together and it’s kinda like unity and bonding and socialization and just appreciating what the accomplishment we’ve made throughout the Ramadan,” Mohammed said.  

The celebration continued through the rest of the afternoon.