Elton John AIDS Foundation 2015 viewing party

David Furnish, Gordon Ramsay and Elton John

Photo Credit: Wireimage

The “It” Oscar viewing party of the season, as usual, was the Elton John AIDS Foundation’ Academy Awards Viewing Party at West Hollywood Park.

In its 23rd year, Sir Elton John and partner David Furnish’s charitable event raised just over $5.8 million for the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Photo Credit: Wireimage

Guests arrived at the Academy Awards Viewing Party by Audi A8 L TDI for a cocktail reception followed by a gala dinner and viewing of the 87^th Academy Awards® telecast. For a third consecutive year, Chef Gordon Ramsay, British celebrity chef, television personality, restaurateur, and holder of 14 Michelin stars, prepared an exquisite 5-course meal for guests.

The dinner was followed by a lively auction. Auction items included the Alex Prager photograph Sheryl: 2009; the Jeurgen Teller photograph of Joan Didion for the Céline Campaign Spring Summer 2015; the Stephen Somerstein print Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Speaking to 25,000 Civil Rights Marchers at End of Selma To Montgomery, Alabama March. In Front of Alabama State House. March 25, 1965 – View of Rear of Head with Crowd of Marchers in Background; a Greg Gorman photograph and portrait sitting; an all-inclusive, four-night stay for four people at the Clayoquot Wilderness Resort; a five-day stay for four people at Steven Tyler’s Hawaiian Retreat; and two tickets to the Vanity Fair Oscar Party later that night.

Photo Credit: Getty Images for Audi

Following the auction, Grammy winner Nile Rodgers & CHIC took the stage to perform several songs, including such favorites as “Le Freak,” “We Are Family,” “Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsa, Yowsa, Yowsa),” “Everybody Dance,” and “Good Times.”

In his remarks for the evening, EJAF Founder John thanked his guests for enthusiastically participating in the evening’s audience participation feature, which enabled guests to make gifts to the Foundation on the spot using their cell phones. Throughout the evening video messages from long-time EJAF supporters Neil Patrick Harris and Matt Lauer, as well as live messages from EJAF friends Alec Baldwin and Mike Myers, encouraged guests to text in pledges to support the Foundation’s urgent mission.

Attendees at the haute event included Heidi Klum, Miley Cyrus, Alec Baldwin, Robert Duvall, Tim Allen, Aaron Paul, John Stamos, Chris Colfer, Beck, Lil’ Kim, Ryan Kwanten, Cloris Leachman, Judith Light, Rob Lowe, Moby, Lydia Hearst, Ozzy, Jack, Kelly & Sharon Osbourne, Petra Nemcova, Cody Simpson, Gigi Hadid, Dita VonTeese, Brittany Snow, Lisa Rinna & Harry Hamlin, Alessandra Ambrosio, Camilla Belle, Nina Dobrev, Sandra Lee, Jane Seymour, Sia, Russell Simmons, Bellamy Young, Sarah Hyland, The Band Perry, Julianne Hough, Maggie Grace, Peter Fonda, JC Chavez, Dermot Mulroney, Jonathan Groff, Chris Hardwick, Jared Harris, Eric McCormack, Giovani Ribisi, and Bryshere Y. Gray, among others.