GARDEN CITY, Idaho — Bob Batista, the director of the Western Idaho Fair for the past 26 years, is calling it quits after this year.
“I’ve been doing this a long time here,” Batista said. "I love the fair, love working for the county. After a while, like my old boss says, there’s a shelf life for everything."
Watch to hear from Batista about his time with the fair and what's next for him —
Over the years, Batista has seen many changes at the fair. “I’ve always wanted to add something to this ground that was unique,” he said.
One notable addition is the chairlift, installed about eight years ago. “When we designed it and put it in there, we took it almost parallel down the midway where all the people are, where all the lights are on. What a fun ride to go at night and see all the lights. Most of the time, that’s where our heaviest traffic is,” he said.
Batista also emphasized the importance of youth programs such as 4H and FFA. “It’s a big part of what we do,” he said. "It’s like their Super Bowl; it is a big part of what we do. Fairs grew out of agriculture."
He acknowledges that there have been some bumps along the way. When asked for an example, he recalled, “Yeah, the one that comes to mind is Pat Benatar. Her husband, the guitar player, had an eye issue. They had to cancel ten days before the fair. We hurried and booked another rock band; that’s a tough deal to do.”
What will he miss most about being the fair director? Batista replied, “A lot of it is going to be my staff. You know, when you work for people for twenty years, you can see it affects me already. That’s hard to part with.”
As for his plans after retirement, he said, “I usually mow the lawn on Saturday; we’ll see what it’s like to mow the lawn on Wednesday.”
