Iowa City Wednesday Farmers’ Markets Canceled

Spring and summer will be here before we know it, thank goodness, and with it will come the favorite part of the season for many--their local Farmer's Market. We'll have the schedule later in this article for some of the most popular ones around Eastern Iowa, but for those in Iowa City who make the Wednesday night edition a regular part of their plans, well, unfortunately, you'll have to find something else to do that night.

Vendor interest waned this year

The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that as the February 15 deadline came and went, enough vendors did not sign up. To make the Wednesday night market viable, organizers were looking for 15 registered vendors and only got 11. According to Iowa City Parks & Recreation, it's not all pandemic-related, as noted in a message that went out to registered vendors.

Those that participated in the 2021 Wednesday Farmers Market season know firsthand of the drop in both customers and vendors. While that may be due in part to the pandemic, those numbers had been declining in the years prior as well.

Interest has been declining for 10 years

Despite incentives for new vendors and increased marketing, the Wednesday night mark has lost popularity, and for at least the 2022 season, will not take place. However, Iowa City will still have a market on scheduled Saturday mornings at 7:30 at Chauncey Swan Ramp. See that schedule here, along with others in the Corridor below. We'll update as more schedules are announced.

Cedar Rapids Downtown Farmers' Market

The area's best-known Farmers' Market is on and will take place in downtown Cedar Rapids on these scheduled Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to noon:

• May 28
• June 4
• June 18
• July 2
• July 16
• August 6
• August 20
• September 17 (Fall market)

Hiawatha Farmers' Market

Every Sunday, rain or shine, from May 1-October 30 in the 10th Avenue Parking Lot at Guthridge Park.

Uptown Marion Market

City Square Park in Marion on the following Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon

• June 11
• July 9
• August 13
• September 24

Taube Park Farmers' Market

Taube Park in Marion, 8-11 a.m. Saturdays from May 7-September 10

Iowa City Farmers' Market

This market is in-person at the Chauncey Swan Ramp (415 E. Washington St.)

• Saturdays, 7:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.