Sagging attendance figures at last month's annual Taste of Orange County festival left organizers owing restaurants tens of thousands of dollars and sparked concern that this year's event may well be the last, according to restaurateurs.

A Taste of Orange County Inc., the company that puts on one of the most popular summer festivals in Orange County, is struggling to repay restaurant owners for the food sold at the 11th annual event. The company is on the brink of filing for bankruptcy, according to the company attorney.

The financial crunch has forced Taste and event organizers Dennis Yeomans and James Wurster, the company's president, to give up a lease on an Irvine office and instead work from home.