Allegheny County is looking for a new sponsor for the annual Celebration of Lights at Hartwood Acres.

Rite Aid, which had supported the event for the past three years, has informed the county it will not renew its sponsorship this year. In a letter to county parks director Andrew Baechle, the company said it was "forced by this current tough economy to re-evaluate expenditures."

The annual light show has raised more than $3.3 million for local charities over the past 18 years.

The county will advertise for new sponsors in the next two or three weeks, according to Kevin Evanto, a spokesman for County Executive Dan Onorato.

People view the show from their cars, following a three-mile path through the county park that passes holiday displays decorated with more than 2 million lights. The event begins before Thanksgiving and continues until after New Year's Day.

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