Up to 550,000 people filled Melbourne’s streets for the city’s second annual all-night White Night cultural festival, according to organisers.
Police put the estimate for Saturday night’s 7pm to 7am party slightly lower, at 450,000 to 500,000.
Organisers had hoped to lure 500,000 to the city after the inaugural event attracted around 300,000 revellers in 2013.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said command was happy with the behaviour of visitors, with just 10 arrests for being drunk and disorderly.
While organisers were happy with the flow of pedestrians, some party-goers expressed disappointment on social media at overcrowding. Others reported waiting more than an hour to get into some of the most popular activities, such as the synchronised swimming marathon at the City Baths and the Purple Rain installation at the RMIT Alumni Courtyard.
Many people along Swanston Street reported they found it impossible to cross Flinders Street, so gave up and went home. South of the river was much less crowded and more spread out than the previous year.
This year organisers moved the main music stage from the corner of Flinders and Swanston streets to La Trobe Street to minimise congestion.
Arts Minister Heidi Victoria, who stayed until 7am, said organisers had listened to feedback from patrons last year and improved crowd management, and would do so again ahead of the 2015 event.
”Yes, it was crowded, but it’s a huge festival,” Ms Victoria said. ”I think it comes down to the fact that last year was bigger than we had anticipated.
”We listened to people and [asked], ‘What can we do better?”’
Asked about the future of the festival beyond next year, Ms Victoria said she would recommend to Victorian Premier Denis Napthine that it be supported beyond the initial three-year funding it had received from the state government.
