WATERVILLE — This week marks the absence of the Taste of Waterville, an outdoor dining event that for more than three decades drew food lovers and live music enthusiasts to downtown from near and far.

Last October, the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors made a decision to discontinue the event, as members felt it had run its course, according to chamber President Kimberly Lindlof.

“It was a massive lift for staff in the office,” Lindlof said Monday. “It was a lot of work and volunteer and sponsorship-dependent, both of which had been diminishing. Attendance was diminishing — that’s the big reason. People weren’t embracing it like they used to.”

Held on the first Wednesday in August, the Taste featured a variety of food trucks offering lighter fare starting around 11 a.m. at Head of Falls, and dinners offered up by area restaurants in the evening, accompanied by live music.

Created 34 years ago by the then-Waterville Intown Business Association, it started as an elegant sit-down meal on Main Street downtown featuring local eateries, when outdoor dining wasn’t as prevalent as it is now.

The Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce took over the Taste when it became too large for the business association to handle, several years after launching. Thousands of people flocked to downtown for the event, which was for a time called the Taste of Greater Waterville and hosted lots of children’s events, as well as arts and crafts.

As the years progressed, restaurants began to offer outdoor dining, and outdoor musical events became more popular. Three decades ago, the Taste was the only outdoor concert all season, Lindlof noted. Now, outdoor concerts and music series in parks are frequent all over the region.

“It’s not the unique novelty it used to be,” Lindlof said. “It was just time. It ran its course.”

But Lindlof, who has headed the chamber 24 years, said the organization is investigating something new to offer. Members are being thoughtful and deliberate about making sure it is something that will be embraced by the community and will attract people to the city. She said the board meets again in the fall and will likely firm up a decision.

Meanwhile, the Taste of Waterville was a long-loved tradition that served the region well in its time, Lindlof said.

“We loved putting it on,” she said. “We loved celebrating with the community. We’re working on coming up with something fresh.”