The Iowa City Farmers’ Market came to a close this past weekend with boosted attendance.

The past season began on May 2 and lasted nearly six months, with dozens of different businesses and products. While traditional farmers still market their produce there, many other businesses have developed their own extensions at the market, such as the Tic-Tac-Toe Bakery.

Cassidy Bell, the manager at the Avacentre for the Farmers’ Market, said in a press release that attendance at the markets have been on the rise.

“Iowa City has always been a unique place that is able to support a number of local producers, but our market has more than tripled in size in the last 10 years, and we still haven’t seemed to hit a plateau,” Bell said.

The market, which regularly hosts live music and a variety of merchants, has been in place since 1972. Since starting out with only 13 vendors, the market place has grown to more than 50 vendors in two locations.

Typically the market forms four times per week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays at both the Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp and Mercer Park.

Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department administrative secretary Tammy Neumann said that while in the past, the Farmers’ Market was directed by the city, a private company managed it this year.

This year, the daily operation and management of the market was contracted out to event planning firm the Avacentre, Neumann said.

Michael Zimmer, the owner and manager of IC Pot, a local business based on the Farmers’ Market, said this year has not significantly increased sales for his product.

“It played out the exact same way,” Zimmer said of sales through the whole season.

Customers who frequent the market have said they will miss it, but appreciate having it around for nearly half a year.

“I’m bummed that the season has ended because I won’t be able to shop at the Farmers’ Market much more this year,” said UI sophomore Jens Hoifeldt.

UI freshman Lauren Gentile said she shops at the Farmers’ Market when she can because she trusts it more than grocery stores.

“I prefer shopping at Farmers’ Market because I feel closer to the producers, so I know exactly where the produce is coming from,” Gentile said.

While this year’s market season has ended, there will be more holiday winter markets put on by Iowa City and the Johnson County Agricultural Association.

The holiday markets will offer the chance to buy homegrown and homemade gifts in November and December. Winter markets will be hosted at the Johnson County Fairgrounds on two Sundays per month.