This July 4, Alki Beach will lose one of it's most popular fireworks show. After 44 years, Ivar’s Seafood Restaurants has opted to discontinue its “4th of Jul-Ivar’s” community fireworks show so that it might donate more to Northwest Harvest, Washington's own statewide hunger relief agency.

Ivar's president Bob Donegan has said fireworks fans will still have many other shows to watch, but for those who celebrate the 4th of July from Alki Beach, the Ivar's show has always been the most visible.

The following was included in a press release from Ivar's:

“With so many fireworks displays in the Puget Sound, it made more sense for us to put our resources into other areas that really need help: Feeding the hungry,” Ivar’s President Bob Donegan said.

Through its partnership with Northwest Harvest, a statewide hunger relief agency since 1967, Ivar’s will focus more of its efforts on feeding families in the communities it serves.

In a typical month, the Northwest Harvest network provides 600,000 client services to Washington State’s most vulnerable people. More than half of those served by Northwest Harvest are children and the elderly; others include those with limited incomes and households facing medical or other emergencies. Northwest Harvest reports that the economic downturn has increased the number of families asking for food by 19 percent since this time last year.

In addition, a record breaking number of clients have been visiting its Cherry Street Food Bank in Seattle since last fall, with well over 2,400 clients per day on the busiest days.

“The problem of hunger in the Puget Sound has grown dramatically and we are pleased to expand our efforts with Northwest Harvest, focusing on those who need it most,” Donegan said. “Ivar’s will continue its many other community involvement efforts that have supported hundreds of causes throughout Puget Sound.”

The 4th of Jul-Ivar’s fireworks show started in 1964 at Green Lake when Seattle native and Ivar’s “flounder” Ivar Haglund was given a last-minute chance to save the town’s annual Seattle fireworks show from cancellation. Haglund funded the entire show.

As the only fireworks show in town, its original pyrotechnic partner, Hitt Fireworks Company, created a thrilling display that drew attendance from King, Snohomish, Pierce, Kitsap and surrounding counties. In its heyday, the 4th of Jul-Ivar’s had shows in Lake Union then moved to Elliott Bay. It had over ten thousand shells bursting in air annually, and grew into a daylong festival with music stages, a Kids Fun Zone, Air Parade of vintage aircraft from Museum of Flight, beer and wine gardens and various local food booths.