(Madras Mayfaire, known for medieval costumes and fun, made its second annual appearance this month | Photo courtesy of the Madras Downtown Association)
“Welcome to the heart of Central Oregon — Madras!” said Becci Ravera, board member of the Madras Downtown Association (MDA), which is “dedicated to turning this beloved town into a thriving, vibrant destination for locals and visitors alike.”
“The mission of our community-based nonprofit is simple,” she said. “To enhance the economic vitality of Madras, preserve its rich cultural heritage, and foster a fun, safe, and environmentally-conscious downtown that serves as a hub for everything Central Oregon has to offer.”
Drawn to Madras after she and her husband sold their home, and traveled the country for 2½ years in an RV with their two young boys, Ravera (who had lived in seven states before the age of 20) recalled how we “just fell in love with Central Oregon. It’s such a gem — from the food to the abundance of outdoor activities, and the way people prioritized life — rather than just focusing on work and money.”
Yet of all the towns in the area, Ravera and her family decided to settle in Madras in 2022. “There’s such history, complexity, and diversity here,” she said.
Quickly sensing not only “what Madras is,” but also “what it could be,” Ravera — who professionally “helps support female-owned businesses at the back end” — joined MDA, whose members “all bring their own expertise and passion in committing to help the town’s small businesses thrive.” As she emphasized, “Madras is built on the back of entrepreneurs.”
MDA’s goals for 2025 include: “establishing clean-up days downtown by bringing in volunteers and groups such as students, churches; and focusing on getting beautiful, colorful murals downtown. We want to take advantage of our access to tourists,” Ravera said, “and encourage visitors to walk around downtown instead of just driving through.”
She continued by saying that “A primary long-term goal of MDA — one I feel strongly about — is accessing the resources of Oregon Main Street Network, including its downtown revitalization grants designed to help improve historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. Money is just sitting on the table to fund projects that lead to private investment, job creation or retention; establish or expand viable businesses; or create a stronger tax base.”
Madras is now an official participant of the Oregon Mail Street Network, as are more than 100 communities across the state, including Klamath Falls, Astoria, McMinnville, Baker City, The Dalles, and La Grande.
In line with making Madras “an even better place to live, work, and play,” MDA also organizes events throughout the year such as the Renaissance-inspired Madras Mayfaire (now in its second year), and First Thursdays during the summer that feature DJs, live music, food vendors, and local artists. “The goal of these collaborative efforts is to create a festive atmosphere that entices people to walk around the downtown area, and see the businesses located there,” — most of which, Ravera noted, have been started by female entrepreneurs.
“MDA’s efforts are collaborative,” she said, “and 100 percent a team effort. There are great people living here who care about Madras, and so many people at so many levels who recognize what our organization is capable of doing.”
From Ravera’s perspective, MDA’s efforts have been stimulated by a figurative “changing of the guard” among community officials and organizations. Not only did MDA create a whole new board of directors at the beginning of the year, but Madras has a new city council, a new mayor, and a new executive director at the Chamber of Commerce.
Unifying the efforts of energized groups in the community such as MDA, according to Ravera, is “excitement in recognizing the town’s potential, and a determination to help Madras become the best version of itself.”
