It is quite a pleasure to go to an all-inclusive party where there is easy access to food and liquor, but this concept seems as if it is being overused during the summer months.

Paying a one-time fee of $1,500 to as much as $5,000 for food, liquor and admission eliminates the struggles associated with a regular 'pay-bar'. While the all-inclusive parties give patrons easy access, there are as many as four or more all-inclusive parties on any given weekend this summer, and some promoters think the idea is being overused.

"In my opinion, there are too many of them this summer, which are all-inclusive in some form or the other. We need more regular pay-bars 'cause since the summer start, there have been all-inclusive parties back to back," said Dwight Barr, promoter for Twisted Spiritz, which is also an all-inclusive party.

He added, "It is very expensive for the patrons. Look at it from their perspective, they don't have any options."

Barr says this is the fifth year of Twisted Spiritz, which is usually held three times each year in June, August and November.

Desmond Steel, the promoter for Rum Punch, also agrees that there are too many all-inclusive parties this summer.

"There is a whole lot. Most people (promoters) are going all-inclusive. Let's start the summer from May, 75 per cent of the parties each weekend are all-inclusive," Steel told THE STAR.

prestige

He said this year was the eighth staging of Rum Punch, but this year was the first time that it was all-inclusive. In the past, it was mixed drink inclusive but he says he changed the concept to add some level of prestige to the party.

"Sometime you make more money. It gives your party a little more prestige, so you get rid of a certain crowd. When you have fights or gang violence at your party, your sponsors don't want to come on-board," he said, while noting that his event is an 'uptown dance'.

Nonetheless, he said other parties of its kind did not affect attendance at his party as he catered for a more mature crowd, while the others appealed to a more teenage audience.

Though new to the promotion game, Lance Gillespie who is the promoter for Stush, says his event was not affected by other parties held on the same night.

"On a weekend, you will find three or four all-inclusive parties. Some will flop and some won't, but it depends on how the party was marketed. Everybody's party was affected in one way or another. I am new to the promoting game. I had 200 people and I wasn't going for a big crowd," he said.