One of Australia's most popular and enduring festivals is determined to shake perceptions of unfair policing and racial exclusion.
Melbourne's annual Moomba Festival, which started on Thursday, is celebrating its 70th anniversary.
The five-day event hosts live performances, food trucks and rides along the Yarra River.
But Moomba has been steeped in scandal after riots erupted in 2016, with the immediate response and policing tactics deployed in following years heavily criticised.
Many young people, including those of South Sudanese descent, felt targeted and discriminated against.
South Sudanese lawyer and community leader Maker Mayek said Moomba should be an opportunity for people to enjoy themselves.
''It's always been a great festival but the only problem that arises is young people from a certain background are targeted," he told AAP.
''What needs to be done is to show young people that it’s safe and secure for people that want to attend."
One South Sudanese woman who did not want to be named said the feeling of exclusion still lingered.
She was a teenager when the so-called 'African gangs' scandal erupted.
‘’It's been so many years but I wouldn’t really go as a group of African people to Moomba," the 22-year-old said.
‘’But if I was going to go, I’d go with a diverse group of friends."
Lord mayor Sally Capp said the City of Melbourne had learned from the riots.
"From what I understand from 2016, those elements of safety can always be seen as exclusionary or intimidation and that is certainly not the intent,'' Ms Capp said.
‘’We want Moomba to be welcoming for people who want to come to have a good time."
Moomba should be inclusive and accessible for people of all backgrounds and ethnicities, as well as young people and families struggling with the cost of living, the mayor said.
‘’Over the 70 years, the festival has really mirrored the priorities and the interests of our community in Melbourne," she said.
Victoria Police will have officers stationed across the city throughout the five-day festival.
Officers will be drawn from public order, highway patrol and horseback squads and will also patrol public transport networks.
"We are expecting a very safe, family friendly event but as always, our message to anyone thinking of coming into the city to cause trouble is simply don't bother," a police spokesperson said.
"We are very well equipped and prepared to crack down on troublemakers in the city."
Dancers from Jungle City Projects in Melbourne's north will perform a mix of dancehall, reggae and Afrobeats routines at the festival.
Co-director and dancer Kat Sweeney said events like Moomba allowed the dance company to connect with the community.
It also offered young people an opportunity to feel involved, she said.
''We always attract a very diverse community, all ages from little kids to adults, especially (because) dance is very unifying," Ms Sweeney told AAP.
''That is a pure representation of what Moomba is about, all communities coming together."
