It's official - there will be no annual Fourth of July fireworks display at the Washington County Fairgrounds this year. The fair board voted unanimously Thursday to cancel the pyrotechnics due to a lack of funds to pay the entire $5,500 cost of the display.

"We were OK for half of that amount," said Steve Tornes, fair board president, adding that the board hoped the remainder would come in through donations from individuals and businesses.

But that didn't happen.

"So there will be no fireworks display here this year," Tornes said. He will call the fireworks company to cancel the fair board's order today.

Tornes said a demolition derby will still take place at the fairgrounds on the Fourth.

Board secretary Bonnie Gill noted the online response from local newspaper readers was less than enthusiastic after articles ran about the need for donations to help purchase the fireworks.

"We hate to do it, but unfortunately people in this town don't seem to know where money for the fireworks displays comes from," she said. "We just don't have the funds. It would cost $5,500, and we've only received $750 in donations."

The fair board has sponsored fireworks for the annual Fourth of July celebration since the 1970s. Prior to that the local American Legion provided the displays.

Tornes said this will be the first year that fireworks won't be part of the celebration, and expressed some frustration that more contributions didn't come in.

"If I had a buck for everyone who has watched our fireworks every Fourth of July from Harmar Hill or from the hospital hill, we could have paid for this," he said.

Tornes said the board has tried to raise funds for the event by charging $1 or $2 for parking during past Fourth of July celebrations, but people complained.

"We've always footed the bill since we took over the display in the 1970s, but we have a county fair to put on this fall, and we can't afford to lose any money," he said.

In addition to annual fair expenses, the board has other financial obligations, including paying off a new livestock arena at $3,000 a year.

"We still owe about $340,000 on that building, and we'll pay off improvements to the grandstand by next year," Tornes said.

Gill said revenues supporting the fairgrounds have been dwindling. She noted that the Washington County commissioners have decreased support for several years, and provided $5,000 for the fair board in 2008.

But she said the commissioners have budgeted nothing for the fair board in 2009.

According to the fair board's annual finance report, in 2008 year-round revenues from all fairground events, sales, building and grounds rentals, and state and local support totaled $489,901, but expenses were $516,710.

The board leases fairgrounds buildings throughout the year for home and car shows, weddings and a variety of other events. In 2008, those rentals totaled more than $87,000.

The 2009 Washington County Fair is scheduled for Sept. 5 to 8. For more information about the fair and other fairgrounds activities, call the fair board office at (740)373-1347.