Organisers of Belfast St Patrick's Day carnival say they will have to conduct door-to-door fundraising following the decision by the city council not to grant them £30,000.
Mr Billy Hutchinson of the Progressive Unionists was the only unionist to support the application for grant aid.
However, UUP, DUP and Alliance councillors voted down the proposal. They cited trouble in the lower Shankill following last year's event in front of Belfast City Hall.
Others said the choice of Shane MacGowan was not a suitable choice of entertainment for a family day out.
Mr Hutchinson said, however, that councillors should have found a way to support plans, which included an appearance by children's television favourites The Tweenies.
The SDLP criticised the decision, accusing unionists of failing to take an opportunity to send a positive signal to nationalists that Belfast was their city too. Mr Alban Maginness, the city's first Catholic lord mayor, said the vote underlined a familiar tale of sectarianism and bitterness.
Carnival organiser Mr Conor Maskey claimed much good work had been done to make sure no offence would be caused to anyone.
He said a new multi-coloured shamrock logo had also been designed.
"We as a committee designed an official logo, a multi-coloured shamrock, which would not be offensive to anybody," he said.
Unionists acknowledged that efforts were being made, but stressed that not enough progress had been made so far to enable them to support the appeal for funding.
Last night, Mr Chris McGimpsey, an Ulster Unionist councillor, said he would be prepared to lead a delegation to take part in talks on the subject.
"I hope that a meeting can go ahead in April, after this year's event has passed off."