Crystal Besaw, KFDA's new Executive Director, hit the ground running when she took the helm a few short months ago.

Besaw — whose impressive background in business and event management provided the perfect pedigree for her position — has represented clients such as the University of Washington, Seattle Bride Magazine, as well as varied small businesses and major events and venues. Sometimes running 150 events annually.

Our Klamath community and the KFDA are so fortunate to have the energy, ideas, and execution Crystal brings.

A Board, Committees, and a Vision

The KFDA has a board of directors comprised of 13 members — as well as committees overseeing a myriad of projects.

These committees include KFDA's:

  • Promotions
  • Economic Vitality
  • Design
  • The Piano Project

The Piano Project — A Special Treasure

The Piano Project is a special treasure to our town.

It is the brain trust of creative communitarian Laty Xayavong — a KFDA board member and an owner of the popular Thai Orchid Cafe.

Laty's vision for the Piano Project places publicly accessible pianos in downtown Klamath Falls locations — where anyone can sit down and play. The casual encounter — a child banging on the keys, a passerby playing a remembered melody, a touring musician trying out a tune — adds a layer of unexpected musical life to downtown.

It's the kind of small, distinctive program that makes a downtown feel different from anywhere else.

Third Thursdays — Summer Magic on Main Street

KFDA's flagship summer event is Third Thursdays — running June through August.

The warm summer nights strolling Main Street draw thousands of community residents and have historically included:

  • Bands
  • Fabulous food trucks
  • Sweet treats
  • Street performers
  • Pony rides
  • Games of chance
  • Vendors
  • Craftspeople and organizations showcasing their work and ways to get involved

It is a healthy, happy, and fun way to spend a third Thursday through the summer.

For Klamath Falls families, Third Thursday has become the summer anchor event — the night when downtown shifts from a daytime business district into an evening celebration.

Scarecrow Row — Fall Magic Downtown

As the leaves begin to turn and fall blesses the basin, the KFDA kicks off their annual "Scarecrow Row" — where merchants design and decorate scarecrows outside their storefronts for the month of October.

The cute and clever scarecrows compete for bragging rights in a cool competition culminating with a downtown Main Street march of children trick-or-treating.

Scarecrow Row is everything good about downtown:

  • Merchants getting creative
  • Families bringing kids downtown to walk the row
  • Community pride in the resulting decoration
  • Halloween rooted in downtown as a community celebration
  • Free, inclusive, family-friendly

Other KFDA Programs

Beyond Third Thursdays and Scarecrow Row, KFDA produces and supports:

  • Holiday First Look — kicking off the holiday shopping season
  • Holiday Tree Lighting — community gathering for the start of winter
  • Independence Day Parade support
  • Downtown beautification projects
  • Small business support for downtown merchants
  • Tourism partnerships with Discover Klamath
  • Advocacy for downtown infrastructure and policy decisions

Why a Downtown Association Matters

Without a dedicated downtown association:

  • No coordinated event programming to drive foot traffic
  • No unified voice for downtown businesses on policy issues
  • No shared marketing for downtown as a destination
  • No collective response to downtown challenges (parking, safety, aesthetics)
  • No central organization for new businesses to plug into

KFDA fills all those roles for downtown Klamath Falls.

How to Engage with KFDA

For Klamath Basin residents and businesses:

Attend events

  • Third Thursdays all summer
  • Scarecrow Row in October
  • Holiday Tree Lighting in December
  • Other seasonal programming

Become a member

KFDA membership is open to:

  • Downtown business owners
  • Property owners
  • Community partners invested in downtown vitality

Volunteer

KFDA's programs run on volunteer time alongside the small paid staff. Event days, committee work, and ongoing project support all benefit from community volunteer engagement.

Donate

Like any nonprofit, KFDA's work depends on community financial support to supplement membership dues and event revenue.

Crystal Besaw's First Months

Crystal's first months at the helm have already produced visible energy:

  • Event programming refinements
  • Strengthened relationships with downtown merchants
  • Renewed focus on the Economic Vitality committee's work
  • Strategic planning for the next phase of KFDA's growth

For a downtown still recovering from the pandemic-era disruptions that hit downtown business districts everywhere, having a strong executive director with the right experience matters.

Thank You

To Crystal Besaw — for choosing to bring her energy to Klamath Falls.

To the KFDA board — for the unpaid, behind-the-scenes work that keeps the organization running.

To Laty Xayavong and every committee member contributing to the Piano Project, Promotions, Economic Vitality, and Design.

To the downtown merchants, property owners, residents, and visitors who make downtown Klamath Falls a destination worth celebrating.

To the kids who'll march through Scarecrow Row this October — and the families bringing them — see you on Main Street.

Long live downtown Klamath Falls.