Community Corner

Stevie Wonder Wows Downtown Crowd, Villaraigosa

The multicultural festival brought more than 1,000 people to Grand Park on Friday.

Outgoing Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa acted as excited as the jumping, screaming fans splayed out in front of him Friday.

Hundreds of spectators flocked to the stage in front of City Hall for Celebrate L.A., a multicultural festival billed as a community block party at Grand Park. Speakers included former President Bill Clinton, Stevie Wonder, Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti and Ryan Seacrest. 

And while Clinton mentioned several times how he and Villaraigosa are buddies, and induced smiles from the mayor after commending him for eight years of a job well done, it was Grammy Award-winning musician Wonder that lit up the 

Particularly when Wonder began to play "You are the Sunshine of my Life.''

Villaraigosa, like a teen with a backstage pass, jumped about the stage using his cell phone to film Wonder and grab panoramic shots of the equally exuberant crowd.



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