Summer favourite returns to Rye

Summer means ice-cream, days at the beach, road trips, and one of the most popular activities for all ages – carnivals!

Locals and vacationers alike will be thrilled with the news that the annual Rye Summer Carnival is back, bringing some much-needed joy and fun to the foreshore as it comes to life after sunset.

Four generations of the Wittingslow family have been involved in running the carnival since its inception in 1955 to raise money for the rebuilding of the Rye RSL. They’re one of Australia’s oldest carnival families and most respected amusement events companies, creating laughter and magical memories for more than 80 years.

Almost 70,000 people attend the Rye Summer Carnival each year. “It's an institution on the Peninsula,” says owner Michael Wittingslow. “We have people coming from NSW, Queensland, everywhere. There are plenty of locals and Melbourne people whose families have been coming down since my grandfather was here, then when my father was here, and now I’m here with my children running it. It's a generational thing. We have people who first met at the carnival as kids; they got married and brought their kids and now grandkids back. Their eyes light up when you talk about it.”

The Rye Summer Carnival opens on Boxing Day and runs daily until January 30 from 6pm until late. Visitors can expect to get ocean views from a new giant ferris wheel, giggles from the teacups and squeals of terror from a new ghost train, with many other rides as well. It’s the perfect place for families and teenagers to satisfy their thrill-seeking urges this summer.