PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The Celebration of Lights at Hartwood Acres during the holidays has been cancelled for this year, but there is a possibility the show could go on.

With no corporate sponsors and the costs of county employees replacing all of the lights every year along with overtime and security – $1.5 million – more than $1 million this year. The price is too high for taxpayers.

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald says it’s time to pull the plug.

“We’re in budget season, we’ve got a tight budget that we’re working on so it was one of the – I guess one of the casualties of the budget,” he said.

Don’t turn out the lights yet – there could be help on the way.

“I think it’s something that shouldn’t disappear,” Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix founder and promoter Art McGovern said.

McGovern says he’s on it – an all out effort using contacts nationwide to get the light show back on this year and make money doing it.

“Bring in people that have worked with these lights that know how to put the display on and quickly be in position to run it for the county,” he said.

If they pull it off, they hope to attract nearly 200,000 people to this year’s event.

County Executive Fitzgerald says he is open to any and all suggestions.

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