Eid in the park in Birmingham: When is Eid-al Adha 2023 & where will people gather for prayers?

Two leading mosques in Birmingham have announced the date they will be observing Eid al-Adha in 2023.

Birmingham Central Mosque and Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre (GLMCC) will be observing the occasion on Wednesday, June 28. A gathering will take place at Small Heath Park from 7.30-8am and it will be followed by a sermon.

Eid al-Adha which translates to the festival of sacrifice and is one of the most important festivals in the Muslim calendar. The festival is observed to remember prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son when God ordered him to.

Similar to last year, GLMCC will host a large-scale gathering at Small Heath Park - which was previously attended by around 60,000 people.

GLMCC said on Facebook: “The Day of Arafah will be on Tuesday 27th June and Eid Al-Adha will be on Wednesday 28th June.” Along with prayers there will be a fun fair for families and children.

Eid al-Fitr was celebrated earlier this year but the celebration in the park and at Edgbaston Stadium was cancelled due to rainy weather.

Travelling on Eid al-Adha to Small heath

Last year, the Eid al-Adha gathering led to traffic congestion so people are advised to plan ahead on the day if travelling to Small Heath.

In 2022, there were several road closures in place for the celebrations. Mansel Rd, Dora Rd, St Oswald’s Rd, Waverley Rd and Tennyson Rd were closed. This year, there have been no announcement regarding road closures yet.