After a record-breaking season, the farmers market at Grand Valley State University is staying open through October so more students can attend the market.

This season, the farmers market has averaged around 220 to 230 student customers per market, GVSU farmers market manager Kay Hart said.

The market is a place where students can connect with local vendors to learn about fresh food recipes as well as interact with faculty, staff and surrounding community members who share an interest in local food.

Hart attributes the record number of visits to great weather during the summer, as well as the market’s location in parking lot G. There are also new vendors that have helped freshen up the market.

Besides the vendors, each week also features musicians as well as lunches provided by Campus Dining, Hart said. Most musicians are students from GVSU or Grand Rapids Community College.

In order to encourage even more students to visit the market, there will be a variety of events throughout September and October. The first 25 students to visit the market on Sept. 16 will receive free goodies, Hart said.

Free, five-minute massages will be available on Sept. 9 and Oct. 14 for all visitors to relax after the start of the semester.

If students want to get involved with the farmers market, the easiest way to do so is by visiting it. Hart said this helps students eat better, take better care of themselves and encourages support of the local Allendale community.

Vendors can join the market by paying an annual or weekly fee. Each Wednesday, vendors bring their goods, set up and meet many Lakers and community members.

All vendors are from the local area, Hart said. She said they particularly enjoy the GVSU location not only because it is one of the only farmers markets in the immediate area, but because it allows them to connect with GVSU students, staff and faculty.

Hart said most vendors pick their selection the night before the market, making it one of the best ways to get fresh food.

“I believe in supporting our local communities, teaching people that it’s not any more expensive to shop at a market than to get it at your local grocery store,” Hart said.

The farmers market can help students and community members eat better and live a better lifestyle, Hart said. She also likes the mix of visitors that attend the market: it is a place where GVSU students, faculty and staff can mix with the rest of the Allendale community.

“Hopefully that kid whose mom brought them to the market before or after swim class or a camp will eventually become a Laker,” Hart said.

The farmers market will run through October, and Hart encourages all Lakers to visit parking lot G during the first few weeks of classes. The farmers market website features a guide with the amount of time and steps that it will take one to reach the market from a certain location on campus.

On Oct. 7, the market will offer food demos to help visitors understand the best ways to prepare healthy and fresh foods.