Dursteler hits fairgrounds on the run

When Becky Ledtke’s tenure as Fair Manager ended this year, Patty Dursteler was hired to step in.

The late start has not deterred Dursteler or her volunteers, to whom she is grateful. More than 35 people showed up to help on the first clean up day.

“They really put us ahead of the ballgame,” said Dursteler, “we started a month late but we’re coming along nicely.”

She’s grateful to two Eagle Scouts, Ben Vasion and Nevan Bingham, who built new ticket booths and to the Fair Foundation for their improvements, including painting the floor in the Youth Building.

Dursteler grew up in the area and graduated from Naselle High School. She was active in 4-H, showing at the fair in her youth. She reflects fondly on those times, when there were a lot more dairy farms in the county and a lot more activity at the fair. The kids filled the barn with their animals and mischief.

“One time,” she said, “we got in trouble with the EMTs after we stuffed some clothes with hay and placed them under a cow.”

Then there was the spider on the string that they would drop on unsuspecting fair goers as they walked through the barn. Her 4-H leader, Joel Fitz, somehow managed to keep them out of trouble. Sometimes he would bring out his guitar and lead the youth in a sing along. She is still active in 4-H, currently leading her own group called the Busy Bees.

She was Fair Royalty in the 80’s. One year they called her back because of a dearth of princesses. She laughs about being “Double Royalty,” and wearing two crowns. She also claims she raised a lot of money as a big draw in the dunk tank.

Fun is an energy that has been missing, according to Dursteler.

“We’re here to have fun at the fair, she said, “if we can’t have fun, we shouldn’t be here.”

She worked in management in her mom’s restaurants and at a casino in the Moses Lake area. While in Ritzville, she was a member of the Wheatlands Community Fair Board, which ran the fair without a manager, board members doing all the work. She has a lot of experience, and what she doesn’t know, she’s figuring out. On the day of this interview, she was dealing with fire extinguishers and trying to nail down two more judges.

As for this year, she has brought in some new vendors and she’s really excited about the bands coming in to entertain. She’s happy to report that the salmon barbecue is back.

"It’s a fresh new fair, we want to give it a new outlook,” said Dursteler. “We’ve got a few surprises up our sleeves,” she added with a sly smile.

And yes, she’s already thinking about next year.