Texas Water Park Cancels “Muslim Only” Eid Event After Gov. Abbott Threatens State Funding

A planned Eid celebration at a city-owned water park in Grand Prairie, Texas, was canceled after Gov. Greg Abbott publicly challenged the event’s original “Muslim only” advertising and warned that the city could lose $530,000 in state grants if the gathering moved forward under those terms.

The event, called DFW Epic Eid, had been scheduled for June 1 at Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark, a facility owned by the City of Grand Prairie and operated by a third party. Organizers described it as a private celebration tied to Eid, one of the major holidays in Islam.

The controversy began after promotional material circulated online describing the gathering as a “Muslim only” event. That wording quickly drew criticism from Texans who questioned whether a taxpayer-supported public facility should be used for an event that appeared to exclude people based on religion.

Abbott responded forcefully on X, calling the policy religious discrimination and saying it was unconstitutional. He also tied his warning to HB 4211, a Texas law he has described as aimed at preventing religiously exclusive “no-go zones.” In his message, Abbott said Grand Prairie had to cancel the event and commit to preventing similar arrangements or risk losing state grant money.

City officials later confirmed the cancellation.

“After further review and in the best interest of the City of Grand Prairie, the June 1 Eid event at Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark has been canceled,” the city said in a statement reported by CBS Texas.

Before the cancellation, organizers attempted to clarify the event’s purpose. Reports said the promotional language was changed from “Muslim only” to wording such as “All are welcome” and “modest dress only.” The organizer, Dr. Aminah Knight, said the goal was to create a family-friendly environment where Muslim families and others who prefer modest swimwear could feel comfortable.

The planned event reportedly included halal food, a private prayer area, and modest swimwear expectations. Women were encouraged to wear burkinis or other full-coverage swimwear, while men were expected to wear shirts with swim trunks. Supporters viewed those rules as religious accommodation. Critics saw the original “Muslim only” wording as a clear line that should not be crossed in a public facility.

The dispute has now become larger than one canceled water park event. For Abbott and his supporters, the issue is simple: publicly funded spaces must remain open and neutral, not divided by religion. For critics of the governor’s response, the cancellation raised concerns about whether a Muslim community event was treated more harshly than other private religious or cultural gatherings.

That tension was visible at a Grand Prairie City Council meeting after the cancellation, where residents questioned the city’s decision and the governor’s pressure campaign.

The strongest lesson from the episode may be this: private groups can organize religious or cultural events, but when those events use public facilities, the language matters. A modest dress code may be defensible. Religious food options and prayer space may be ordinary accommodations. But advertising a taxpayer-supported venue as open only to members of one faith creates a legal and political firestorm.

In Texas, Abbott made clear where he stands: public spaces funded by all taxpayers must be accessible to all Texans.