FOR 41 years the family summer carnival has been coming to Portland, giving locals and visitors a fun way to kick off the end of year and start the new year.

Running a carnival is long hours, a lot of travel, but an enjoyable lifestyle, according to the carnival’s general manager Kathleen Miller.

Ms Miller and her family start their working year in Portland, then travel  to Melbourne for a couple of community festivals including the Moomba Festival, and then set off for the Sydney’s Royal Easter Show, followed by the Hawkesbury Show, then continue travelling north.

“We follow the sun,” she said.

“That's the routine of showbusiness because the weather has to be good for you to get customers.

“I grew up here, when I was a teenager, I was here at Portland carnival every year with my family and then it was only when I married my husband, we took on other responsibilities.

“Since my dad passed away 13 years ago, I've taken more of a role to help mum’s business and help our founding carnival survive.

“It’s my mother’s wish that her husband's life's work didn't dissipate just because he died.”

The carnival is open from 6pm until the crowd dies down, which has been until 10pm most nights.

This year 12 locals have been hired to work at the carnival until the last open night on January 14.

Ms Miller said she enjoys seeing the smiles on kids’ faces and watching couples, friends and families make new memories together, which reflects their carnival theme “making memories”.

“It’s a bit like being a farmer, your work becomes your life, it's not just how you earn your money,” she said.

“In that respect, it's the things that give you joy, and absolutely I get joy from watching little kids faces going around on the rides.”