STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — On Sunday afternoon, the Muslim American Society of Staten Island Center in Dongan Hills hosted its Eid fair.
The light rain in the early afternoon didn’t keep the crowds away as hundreds turned out from all over Staten Island, and some from further away, to celebrate the Eid al-Adha holiday.
“What we’re doing today is we’re inviting the community, families and neighbors to come together and celebrate with us,” said Abdullah Akl, political director at the Muslim American Society of Staten Island.
“We came around to a lot of our neighbors and we gave them free passes to come with their friends and families, even if they’re not part of the Muslim community, just to be part of this day as we celebrate together,” he continued.
A line forms at the cotton candy station during the Eid Fair in Dongan Hills.Advance/SILive.com | Mike Matteo
Akl estimated that as of 4 p.m., over 700 people had come to the fair based on the number of wristbands handed out.
The event included a closed-off section of North Railroad Avenue where organizers set up inflatable slides, a bouncy house, face painting, snow cones, and more.
Kids wait for their turn down the inflatable slides set up on North Railroad Avenue at the Muslim American Society of Staten Island’s Eid Fair in Dongan Hills on Sunday, June 8, 2025.Advance/SILive.com | Mike Matteo
“It’s nice to have this sense of community, and the rain hasn’t put a damper on anything. The turnout was really great and everyone is super friendly,” said Roan Alamari of Great Kills. “This is my first time coming to a fair here. I just moved to Staten Island, but I come to the mosque a lot.”
On the grounds of the center were a market’s worth of stalls featured dozens of vendors. They were from Staten Island and other parts of the city, selling food, crafts, clothing, and offering a respite from scattered showers during the event.
Attendees at the Muslim American Society of Staten Island’s Eid Fair gather around a market stall selling clothing.Advance/SILive.com | Mike Matteo
“Honestly it’s been really nice, and it gets us all together,” said Amar Khan, a resident of Dongan Hills. “The beautiful thing about this community is that people come in from all over to get together like this.”
A parent films as her child slides down an inflatable slide at the Muslim American Society of Staten Island’s Eid Fair.Advance/SILive.com | Mike Matteo
On Friday, the Muslim American Society also hosted an Eid al-Adha prayer and celebration in Midland Beach to celebrate the holiday.
Abdelrahman Badawy, the resident scholar of the Muslim American Society Staten Island Center, estimated several thousand attended the prayer event.
“We honor the legacy of the Prophet Abraham, peace be upon him, and we try to follow in his footsteps, and it’s a time for families to unite together and pray to God together and to give thanks and to give to those who are in need,” Badawy told the Advance/SILive on Friday.