In wake of city cuts, fests press to find $

IT'S GETTING harder and harder to put on a picnic, parade or sporting event in Philadelphia.

Organizers of the city's annual professional bicycle race recently considered canceling because they hadn't raised the necessary $1.7 million to stage the event.

That sum includes a payment to the city for police and sanitation services - costs the city covered in prior years.

The TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship eventually got the cash, with the help of the two companies planning local casinos.

But organizers of the bike race aren't the only ones feeling the pressure.

Events and festivals have been hit with a double whammy - the grim economy, which dampens fundraising efforts, and a new city policy that requires those operating the events to pay for city services.

"Every festival, every parade, everyone is having trouble figuring out [what to do]," said City Representative Melanie Johnson.

Johnson stressed that the city's special-events task force is trying to reach out to organizers to help them.

In December, the city worked with the Mummers to shorten the New Year's Day parade route to lower costs.

Johnson said that the city simply couldn't afford to provide its services for free as in the past. Those costs could total millions of dollars.

Now is the time for groups to get creative, she said, adding: "We all have to look at this as an opportunity."

Johnson noted that with the July 4 Welcome America! celebration, "I looked at what we did [in the past] and said, 'We don't have enough funds.' I was able to make a few changes but keep the essence of the festival."

So far, no major events have been canceled because of money woes, but organizers from various festivals report that it has been a tough year.

Here's a look at how the major events are shaping up this year:

TD Bank Philadelphia Cycling Championship, June 7

The possible loss of this made headlines. But the show will go on, organizers said last week, largely thanks to the owners of the proposed Foxwoods and SugarHouse casinos, which each put $100,000 toward filling the $500,000 budget gap for the race.

Odunde Festival, June 12-14

The African-American cultural celebration, which draws more than half a million people to the Graduate Hospital neighborhood each year, is going forward, said executive director Oshunbumi Fernandez. But, so far, she has raised only about $25,000 of the $170,000 she says she needs - about $60,000 of that for the city costs. Fernandez said that she is still waiting to hear back from elected officials and potential sponsors.

She's also asking Odunde regulars to consider making donations on the festival's Web site at www.odundeinc.org.

"I try to be optimistic," Fernandez said.

"We do understand that with the new economic forecast, a lot of corporate sponsors don't have money like they used to."

Sunoco Welcome America! June 26-28 and July 2-5

The annual celebration of Independence Day in Philadelphia is put on by the city and typically includes a week of events, capped by a star-studded July 4 concert on the Ben Franklin Parkway.

Johnson said the event still will come off, although there will be changes due to budget-cutting. In 2008, the event cost $2.1 million. This year she's hoping to bring it in for about $1.7 million.

But she has snagged a big-name act for the July 4 concert on the Parkway: rocker Sheryl Crow. A news conference on all the details of Welcome America! is scheduled for May 14.

Greek Picnic, July 11

A Saturday event in Fairmount Park that concludes a week of events, Greek Picnic is the nation's oldest gathering of traditionally African-American fraternities and sororities.

But Andre Bright, president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Philadelphia, said that organizers aren't sure what will happen this year because they don't have the money needed to pay city costs. Bright said that the city needs $25,000 for expenses that were covered in previous years.

Bright said that he's still hoping to work something out with the city, but he's just not sure what will happen.

"I've likened this situation to Barack Obama being in office and having to cancel the 4th of July," Bright said.

Puerto Rican Day Parade,

Sept. 27

The highlight of the city's longstanding Puerto Rican Festival, the parade along the Parkway is still planned for this year, according to Guillermina Ortiz, business manager for Hispanic Fiesta.

The route of the parade has been slightly modified - the holding location has been adjusted to limit the number of streets that need to be shut down. That will save on police costs, said Deputy City Representative Erica Atwood.

Ortiz couldn't say how much money had been raised for the parade, but she said that organizers are still seeking support.

Philadelphia Marathon, Nov. 22

Lace up your sneakers. The Philly Marathon - in place since 1994 - is still planned, Johnson said. And organizers may be somewhat better prepared than others. The race has always paid for city services.

6ABC/Ikea Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 27

Don't worry about the Turkey Day parade. So far, it's on, according to Atwood, who said that the city is pondering some ways to reduce costs. *