After nearly 40 years of providing the Kirkland community with free summer concerts, Kirkland Summer Concert Series organizers are $15,000 short in their fundraising goal for 2014.

With the original April 2 deadline looking gloomy, organizers need the funds by May 1, which are nearly half of their total goal. The May deadline is so they can ensure every sponsor’s logos are on marketing materials for the concerts that start in July.

“While we are relatively confident that the ‘show will go on,’ we are falling short in part because a few of our major sponsors from last year have not been able to come forward this year,” said organizer Julie Metteer in a news release. “Therefore we are looking to the Kirkland community to help in finding sponsor replacements.”

The concerts were cut from the city budget in 2010, and are now run by independent organizers under the Kirkland Downtown Association. Karen Story, the previous longtime organizer, has stepped into an advisory role this year as she works on other projects.

Metteer said she and Mary Pratt Kunzweiler have been working on fundraising for the events since November and are pleased MRM Consulting, Kirkland Kiwanis Club, the Metropolitan Market and others have shown their support.

Funds are disbursed to sound production and the 14 musicians and bands that make up the Juanita Beach Park kids’ concerts and Marina Park evening concerts, while Metteer and Pratt Kunzweiler split a $10,000 stipend for their work in planning the events.

Metteer said if they are unable to meet their financial goal, some of the concerts may be cut.

“We’d just have to look at the budget and look at our lineup and if it made sense to maybe shorten the concert season. We might look at something like that,” Metteer said in an interview. “That’s kind of the worse-case scenario. I’m really hoping that doesn’t happen.”

Metteer said, while the evening concerts are more expensive, she wouldn’t propose cutting one series over the other.

“A lot of bands take a cut for what they normally would be paid in order to play at the summer concert series,” she said, adding that the events draw about 40,000 concertgoers throughout the summer.

An additional consequence of not raising enough funding is that the organizers won’t get paid, after putting in up to 700 hours of time to make them happen.

Metteer said sponsorship levels start at $500, and increase by $500-level increments.

The title sponsorship level is still available for $5,000 – which would give that sponsor naming rights (“Brought to you by”) for all 14 events through seven weeks during the summer, as well as opportunities to have a presence at any or all of the concerts, Metteer said in a news release.

“If a sponsor at any level has a compelling table or booth, their potential exposure to this captive audience can provide a great value for their investment.” Metteer said, noting individual donations are also gladly accepted. “Even donations as little as $5-10 is helpful toward reaching our goal.”

For those who would like to donate, visit www.KirklandSummerConcerts.org. The full line up and concert schedules can also be viewed at their website.

Donations and sponsorships are run through the Kirkland Downtown Association, which is a 501c3 organization, and can be tax deductible.

For a full list of sponsorship opportunities, email KirklandSummerConcerts@gmail.com or call Pratt Kunzweiler at 206-715-7708.