For the first time in 20 years, the Blue Crab Festival in Palatka is taking a year off.

Even though the three-day event brings in about 200,000 people, organizers said it costs about $250,000. And the current economic climate means higher expenses for 2009, and greater difficulty getting enough sponsor support. Because there is no admission fee, about one third of the festival's budget comes from sponsorship, said Skeet Alford, the festival's co-chair. The rest comes from selling space to local vendors, with usually almost 200 craft and food booths.

“We wanted to make sure we got everything paid this year and we had real concern about whether or not we could do it financially,” Alford said.

In previous years, organizers have used profits to help improve the waterfront. Alford said he hopes that things will turn around, so the festival can go on for another 20 years, starting in 2010.