Organizers of the long-running AIDS Walk Los Angeles were miffed earlier this year to learn that a competing fundraiser was being planned three weeks before their event. They even sued the upstarts.

Despite the battle, both events went off as scheduled: the first annual California AIDS Walk on Sept. 23 and the 26th annual AIDS Walk Los Angeles on Oct. 17.

For those keeping score, the new walk in Griffith Park, organized by the L.A.-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation, drew 2,000 participants and raised about $600,000, while the long-running walk, organized by AIDS Project Los Angeles, drew 30,000 and raised just under $2.9 million.

Although it appears the older event won round one, its numbers took a hit compared with last year, when $3.2 million was raised. That also represents a continued slide from an all-time high of $3.9 million in 2007.

Craig Thompson, executive director of the AIDS Project, said in an e-mail statement that competition from the new walk was one reason for the dip. He also accused the AIDS Healthcare Foundation of directly soliciting some of its most loyal corporate sponsors.

“We had to begin our marketing efforts for AIDS Walk Los Angeles several weeks earlier and spend more on marketing and promotions than we otherwise would have – yet we still saw a decline in our results,” Thompson wrote. “It’s hard to believe that the confusion generated by California AIDS Walk didn’t play a role in that.”

But the new walk’s organizers said their event, which started and ended at the Greek Theater and featured musical performances, isn’t competing.

“To me, they’re two different events,” said Michael Weinstein, president of AHF. “I mean, even before we had our event, there was a substantial decrease in money raised (by AIDS Walk Los Angeles) compared to previous years.”

Weinstein said he intends to keep on putting on the walk and, in fact, would like to double its size. He also said the sponsors that were contacted had previously worked with the healthcare foundation.

However, Weinstein said the two sides have recently met to see if there are other ways they can cooperate. That’s even though AIDS Project Los Angeles sued AHF in June, alleging unfair competition and trademark infringement. The lawsuit is pending in federal court.