Thousands of Muslims mark end of Ramadan by celebrating Eid at Trafalgar Square with costumes, food stalls, comedy and music
- Eid fell on May 1 this year but London’s Trafalgar Square celebrated the Islamic event today
- Mayor of London Sadiq Khan hosted Eid in the Square for its seventeenth year at Trafalgar Square
- BBC Asian Network presenter Mistah Islah and Mehreen Baig presented traditionals and modern live acts
- The London Eye was lit up in honour of lunar-themed Eid Ul-Fitr which ended on Monday evening
- It is the first time that the event has taken place in Trafalgar Square since 2019 due to the pandemic
- Naughty Boy, grammy-winning producer served food from his Kitchen pop up to the thousands of visitors
- Sadiq Khan said: ‘In London, we don’t just tolerate our diversity, we celebrate it’ as he took selfies with families
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The city centre saw thousands of Muslims celebrate Eid by dressing up in colourful clothes, sharing food and putting on comedy and music at London’s Trafalgar Square today.
They were marking the end of Ramadan, also called the ‘Holiday of Breaking the Fast’, after a month-long period of fasting before Shawall which varies based on the new moon and fell on May 1 this year.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: ‘Celebrating the end of Ramadan with Londoners and visitors from all backgrounds demonstrates again how diversity is London’s greatest strength.
‘In London, we don’t just tolerate our diversity, we celebrate it.’
BBC Asian Network presenter Mistah Islah and broadcaster Mehreen Baig hosted acts on the Main stage which showed a mix of traditional and contemporary acts.
Naughty Boy, a grammy-award winning music producer, also served food from his Naughty Boy Kitchen pop up fusing his British upbringing and Pakistani heritage in partnership with Spice Village.
People enjoying the Eid in the Square festival in Trafalgar Square, London today
Grace and Poise, the world’s first Muslim ballet school perform during the Eid in the Square festival in Trafalgar Square, London (pictured) Girls from Grace and Poise perform holding fans and wearing white skirts and wings
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan with visitors during the Eid in the Square festival in London today (pictured) London Mayor Sadiq Khan takes a selfie with vistors to the seventeenth Eid in the Square event held at the capital’s Trafalgar Square
Alif carnival company brought stunning Eid costumes to the Square based on the lunar theme (Pictured) A person wears agold stars and cresent moon with gold lanterns costume next to a person wearing a blue and silver costume in London
At the free family friendly event Grace and Poise, the world’s first Muslim ballet school performed in the city centre (pictured) Girls from Grace and Poise wearing long white skirts and wings with London’s Trafalgar Square lions behind them
London Mayor Sadiq Khan was happy to bring back the event after two-years out due to the pandemic that had halted the event from being held for its seventeenth year (pictured) Mayor of London Sadiq Khan with visitors during the Eid in the Square festival in Trafalgar Square today
Children and families enjoyed the wide-range of entertainment and stalls at Eid in the Square (pictured) A girl from Grace and Poise, the world’s first Muslim ballet school who performed with the National Gallery behind
Spoken word poet Hussain Manawer performed as well as comedy sketch group The Halalians (pictured) People clap at the Eid in the Square festival in Trafalgar Square, London today
indian street food from Mr Bombay, silk road delights from Oshpaz Uzbek Street Food, Venezualan fayre from Pebellon and Somali treats from Hooyo East were also served (pictured) Girls from Grace and Poise, the world’s first Muslim ballet school perform during the Eid in the Square festival in Trafalgar Square, London today
WAW Creative Art Zone also held calligraphy, storytelling, drama and poetry workshops as well as Mehndi and face painting, for all the family (pictured) A girl wearing face paint at Eid in the Square event in London today
Baha Yetin Sufi Ensemble, Nafees Ifran & Qalandar Qawwali Band, Dur Dur Band, Star Children’s Choir and the Original Mummy’s Boy performed on the main stage (pictured) Children wait at the main stage during the Eid in the Square festival in Trafalgar Square, London
The Somali Mobile Museum, which elevates the work of Somali artists also invited visitors to share their stories (pictured) People celebrate during the Eid in the Square festival today (Pictured) Visitors take a selfie to remember the day
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