As comedian Wanda Sykes pointed out, Mayor Villaraigosa has been quite the reputation for enjoying parties and other social events, but this was one party that the citizens of Los Angeles generally supported—and not just for the free nachos! 

On June 7, thousands of Los Angelinos gathered outside of City Hall for Celebrate L.A., an evening of free music and entertainment, food trucks, while bidding goodbye to longtime mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa. 

Billed as “The Ultimate L.A. Block Party,” Celebrate L.A. is an annual culmination event  sponsored by the Department of Cultural Affairs  that ties together the city’s numerous heritage months. Different community groups are honored each month including African-Americans, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, Latinos, Native Americans and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

The evening kicked off with a series of speakers including Reverend Cecil Murray, Rabbi Don Goor, Supervisor Molina and Council President Wesson, and former President Bill Clinton. Clinton applauded Villaraigosa for presiding over a time of vast improvement in crime, public transportation, environmental issues, and education in Los Angeles.

Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti welcomed Mayor Villaraigosa to the stage. Both men addressed the multi-racial crowd in English as well as in Spanish, paying homage to the vast cultural diversity of the city 

"I want to thank you for the honor you gave me of being your mayor," exclaimed the exuberant Mayor. "This has been an opportunity of a lifetime."

Before turning the stage over to surprise guest, musician Stevie Wonder, Villaraigosa gave some warm words of praise for his successor. “This city’s in fine hands baby” said Villaraigosa of mayor-elect Eric Garcetti. “I can tell you he’s going to do an extraordinary job.”

To the delight of the crowd, Stevie Wonder took the microphone next. “I’m hoping that as we are celebrating Mayor Villaraigosa and Mayor-elect Garcetti that we can make Los Angeles one of the first completely [handicap] accessible cities in the United States of America” said the famously blind singer-pianist. 

While Villaraigosa sat just behind him, beaming and mouthing the lyrics, Wonder went on to play “Overjoyed” and “You Are the Sunshine of My Life.”

The night’s other entertainers included Placido Domingo, Pepe Aguilar and Wanda Sykes, Ryan Seacrest, and various children’s groups. 

“I haven’t seen anything else where you have all of these big name performers donate their time like this” reflected Los Angeles native, Tom Naksnishi. “The best things happen after you do one of these big, attention-grabbing events. I can’t even imagine what could stem from this—Fourth of July, New Years Eve and other celebrations that make us use Grand Park for what it’s actually here for.” 

Despite the event’s estimated $265,00 price tag, with $75,000 in donations and services coming from the city itself, most of the attendees that I spoke to echoed Naksnishi’s perspective that the initial investment is worth it to get the city’s residents more united as a community.

“The only downside,” added Naksnishi. “Is that we are still not in a place where many people can get here via metro.”

Despite the complaints about public transportation, some residents are simply happy with the progress that Villaraigosa has made thus far. 

“I am so happy with what the mayor has done with the transit system. It’s on its way back to being what it was before GM ruined it in the early 1900s,” said Kennith Seguin. “This is his legacy…creating a transit system that enables people to actually get around Los Angeles.” 

Members of the American Indian Clubhouse,  a youth group aimed at keeping children out of gangs, drugs, and teen pregnancy, remain relatively unimpressed with the public transportation system and instead carpooled from as far away as San Pedro and Long Beach to get to the block party. The students were, however, pleased with the free nachos at the even and “how [the two mayors] have an open mind about diversity and different cultures.” 

The city’s incredible diversity was further celebrated with a thumbprint mural organized by Peter Tigler. According to Tigler, city officials wanted to “let the people of Los Angles paint the faces of Los Angles” in a mural that will eventually be displayed in city hall. Attendees could dirty their fingers while adding to the collaborative paint-by-number effort.

Tigler specifically chose the faces for the mural so that “some of them will read the ethnicity that they are, but there are also some where you are not quite sure,” further emphasizing Los Angele’s role as a place of racial and cultural intersection.

Even people from outside of Los Angles seemed pleased with the event. “From what I’ve heard about L.A., tonight has been a really good community building experience despite the hefty price tag,” commented Sam Freeman, a college student visiting from Miami. 

But in terms attitudes towards the incoming mayor, people seem less enthused. “He’s questionable,” said Seguin hesitantly. “Yet to be discovered, yet to be proved.”  

In spite of the complaints that some people have made about the unusual extravagance of the grand mayoral sendoff party, al in all, Friday night’s festivities were a success in the eyes of the attendees.