For 19 years patriotic fireworks have blasted over the fjord in Poulsbo, but this year they may not spark at all.

Third of July, a Little Norway community tradition culminating in a charmingly day-early celebration of the country’s independence, has been called off by its organizers.

Mike McLaughlin and Sandi Peterson cited missed deadlines and new-fangled funding logistics as to why they have canceled this year’s event, which drew 25,000 to Poulsbo’s waterfront last year. The pair have twice organized the holiday; 2009’s would have been their third.

“We’re cancelling the event for this year,” explained McLaughlin. He said “several deadlines” were missed, and he and Peterson — who he termed “conscientious coordinators” — did not want to fail in delivering a worthy event for sponsors. “We are the type of people that need to do it correctly.”

He noted that the change in funding appropriation from the city of Poulsbo this year, which shifted from dollars doled by a city committee to money expended by a marketing coalition, made the Third of July planning and decision-making process less streamlined and efficient.

“The unfortunate part is that when you have lots of government agencies involved and then a coalition that has many different members … you can imagine that the decision-making process is extremely complicated and slow,” he said. “The bottom line is that our sponsors for our event are critical and extremely valuable. I take it personally, as does Sandi, how we represent our sponsors. … I am not going to put small businesses in Poulsbo in a position where they’re paying for something that doesn’t exist.”

McLaughlin added he and Peterson are still currently in debt from 2008’s event, which, unlike the 200 sponsors seen in 2007, saw donation assistance from only 20.

“With the economic downturn, we got 20 donations last year. How many are we going to get this year? It’s really hard for us because it is a labor of love,” he said. “Sandi has spent many a sleepless night wondering, ‘how are we going to be able to pull this off?'”

He added the event’s cancellation could be a reminder to those who’ve taken the fireworks for granted, watching from their own private parties without offering monetary assistance. The pair hope to recover their financial losses and try again for the event in 2010, provided they can pull together the roughly $35,000 budget.

The city of Poulsbo’s response to McLaughlin and Peterson’s announcement isn’t all despair.

“The event is not cancelled,” said Carly Michelson, city spokesperson. She added Mayor Kathryn Quade has made note of the issue. “She (Quade) said ‘whatever it takes, we do not cancel the event. Let’s make it work one way or another.'”

According to Michelson, a committee of community members will take over.

“It’s a short timeframe to get it all done, but I think that our community needs it this year,” she said. The committee is not backed by the city, and is looking for volunteers, she added.

When asked whether owning rights of the official Third of July event could be an issue, Michelson said she didn’t have an official say on just who’s got the title for the party, but “it would really be unfortunate if that was what held us up.”

She also noted the city appreciated the work McLaughlin and Peterson have done in the past.

Heading north, all signs say Kingston’s fireworks celebration is still a go. Rounding up funding is the only hang up. However, Pete DeBoer, Kingston’s port commissioner and chamber of commerce president, said the Poulsbo cancellation could help Kingston fundraise for its show.

“We’re planning on doing the whole thing and having some music, but it’s expensive and now’s a hard time to raise money,” DeBoer said. “It may be a blessing in disguise for us that Poulsbo might not be doing it.”

To help with debt incurred from the 2008 Third of July celebration, mail donations to:

Third of July Event

24118 Dove Lane

Poulsbo, WA 98370

For more information, call (360) 779-2121.

Check www.NorthKitsapHerald.com for updates on this story as it unfolds.

North Kitsap Herald Staff Writer Tara Lemm contributed to this report.