MINNEAPOLIS - Roughly 25,000 people have claimed tickets so far for Tuesday's "Super Eid" prayer and carnival event at U.S. Bank Stadium, which celebrates the Muslim festival Eid al-Adha.
For years, local faith-based organizations have held a variety of public Eid events, commemorating the festival that honors the sacrifice of prophet Abraham and coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
This year, however, a coalition of mosques worked together to create a larger, more ambitious celebration at the very same venue that hosted the Super Bowl.
"You don't have to be Muslim to celebrate. It's a celebration; you can just join in," Muslim American Society of Minnesota Executive Director Imam Asad Zaman said. "We are inviting our non-Muslim friends and allies to come be with us."
This year's motto: "Eid is for everybody," or #Eid4Everyone.
Doors open at 7 a.m. Tuesday, and the prayer sessions inside U.S. Bank Stadium are free and open to the public.
Afterward, a carnival with family activities like rock climbing and laser tag will be available outside the stadium at a cost of $15 per ticket.
Abdulaziz Sugule, an organizer and vice chair of the Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center, said this year's event was challenging to coordinate because of its size. However, he said the new venue will allow for better access and provides a family-friendly atmosphere.
"It's really exciting, especially for the youth and the family to see the inside (of U.S. Bank Stadium)," Sugule said. "Many of them haven't seen that. They're looking forward to seeing that, and going inside and pray and celebrate."
The size of the event has made it a target for inaccurate social media posts. One tweet, retweeted nearly 2,000 times, claimed there wold be animal sacrifices at the stadium. Organizers say that is completely false. Another tweet, which came from a verified account and drew a similar number of retweets, described the event as a "Muslim Brotherhood" display. That is also false. The Super Eid event has been organized by a local coalition of mosques and Muslim institutions.
Imam Asad Zaman said he's not letting those posts overshadow the celebration.
"The best way to counter ignorance and the fear is by showing up. Anyone who is afraid of Muslims, you are welcome... They are welcome to be with us. I think it will reduce their fear and increase their understanding. It's good for them," he said. "The people who are bent out of shape are doing it to themselves. They're really not having an impact on us."