Students and organisers have won praise after the Hyde St party passed largely without incident on Saturday.
About 3600 students flooded the street with brightly coloured costumes from early morning for the sold-out all-day event, organised by the Otago University Students Association, until it finished at 6pm.
By late afternoon, seven people had been taken to Dunedin Hospital by St John ambulance for either intoxication or alcohol-related injuries, or a combination of both.
Five of those taken to hospital came directly from Hyde St, while two others were from other parts of the city but were believed to be ''offspring'' of the main event, a St John spokesman said.
Police made 10 arrests but all involved people without tickets trying to sneak into the event, an OUSA spokeswoman said.
Behaviour inside the event was good, which was ''a pretty good result'', she said.
''Everyone is really happy.''
University vice-chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne, who attended the event, also praised organisers, saying she was ''delighted''.
''Together, the students created their own unique carnival atmosphere. Their costumes and themed flats were creative and fantastic, and it was great to see so many young people enjoying the music and dancing.
''I didn't see poor behaviour, instead I saw vibrant and engaging young people letting their hair down after working hard during the week.''
She praised the OUSA's staff and volunteers for their work in organising the event, as well as police, St John, Dunedin City Council and university staff for making ''a world of difference to this event''.
Hyde St had been humming from early on Saturday morning as students in costumes streamed in and danced in the street, looked after by a small army of 400 staff and volunteers from the OUSA, the university and others.
Police, security and St John staff were a visible but low-key presence in the street, and the lifting of an earlier ban on offensive costumes, together with a plea be respectful, seemed to have worked, organisers said.
Students were decked out as everything from Star Wars characters to aliens, while Jesus and Thomas the Tank Engine also made an appearance.
The party, originally known as the Hyde St Keg Party, was believed to have started in 1995, and was run by students and residents until 2013.
OUSA president Hugh Baird said the student body stepped in to organise the event after 2012's event drew a crowd estimated at 10,000 people, and led to the ''infamous'' roof collapse.
Revenue from ticket sales, together with funds directly from the OUSA, covered the cost of staging the event, and the OUSA had introduced new measures, including a ban on glass, to try to keep people safe, he said.
Mayor Dave Cull walked down the street during the party and emerged, unscathed, from the throng of revellers to praise organisers' ''fantastic'' work.
''I think it's extraordinarily well organised and it has been getting better every year in terms of organisation, safety measures, support and all that kind of thing.
''I think what sends a positive message is that students are taking responsibility for the event, they're taking responsibility for how it's run, the safety measures, and for cleaning up in the morning.''
