As the summer looms near, the party season has began to pick up pace with a number of long anticipated events - some persons already outlining their specific outfits for each occasion. But will everyone be able to afford the non-stop partying with the recent economic difficulties facing the country?

With the popular series May Daze jump-starting the partying season, and Extatic Fridays close on its heels, the relaunch of the weekly Blitz Tuesdays, Girls Gone Wild and the regular weekly events after a brief lag of big events to attend, the summer is back with a bang.

Annual events such as Bar Code, Summer Barage, Osmosis, Twisted Spiritz, Absynthe, Juicy, Summer Musique, Oscar's Guest List, Rum Punch, French Connection, Solstice and others are just a few of the high- profile parties being staged for the summer.

This doesn't exclude events such as stage shows like Reggae Sumfest, Fully Loaded, and the Negril weekend battle between ATI and Negril Dream Weekend. On average, ticket prices range from $1,500 up, not including clothes and sometimes drink and food money.

For some partygoers, this summer party season is going to be one for careful deliberation as to what to go and what not to go.

begging tickets

Sarah* says she is already trying to decide which parties to budget for, telling THE STAR, "I have to be asking my friends from now where they are planning to go and making plans as to what we're going to attend. Times are really hard and I have to be begging tickets. If I don't get a free ticket or free entry for women, I don't go. Money for tickets and then money to go buy clothes, it's too much. If you go weekly, you can't always be wearing the same thing and with Facebook, everyone knows what you wore where."

Another party regular commented, "People caan manage to go out every week, they have to be selective wid it and it's going to show this summer with the signature parties that people know are good events getting the most people and probably the new parties that are making a name for themselves will have a hard time."

For André, he believes people are not going out less but may opt to go to a bar or a movie, or lyme rather than a party to break the monotony. He said, "Something like ATI is a given - you have to go, you have to find the money 'cause if you're in Kingston, people are going to be calling you, telling about the party and you're gonna feel left out."