MIDDLEBORO — Middleboro residents will have yet another opportunity to learn about ways to save on energy costs because the Cooler Middleboro Fair is back for the second year in a row. 

The fair, which aims to teach kids and adults about energy conservation, will take place Saturday, April 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Middleboro High School.

There will be all kinds of activities for kids and families, such as making shark necklaces, planting seeds, face painting, arts and crafts and games, according to fair organizers. Kids will even have the opportunity to walk inside Salt, the life-size inflatable humpback whale. 

School students, a local 4H club and other local youth groups will exhibit projects showcasing what they’re learning about the environment and sustainability.

For grownups, the fair will be one stop to learn about insulation, heat pumps, hot water heaters, induction stoves and solar panels— and at the same time about rebates, tax credits and financing to help pay for them. 

Local contractors, nonprofit organizations and Middleborough Gas & Electric will be on hand to answer questions, sign residents up for energy audits and home estimates, and demonstrate what you can do to save money on energy.

“Families who came last year told us they had a blast, and many learned what they needed to complete home energy projects,” said Kimberly French of the nonprofit Sustainable Middleborough, one of the three local cosponsors. 

“Everything was free so parents and grandparents didn’t have to keep doling out money. They could keep an eye on youngsters while talking to contractors and learning about home energy savings.”

This year’s edition will bring in more contractors and projects and will include an upcycled fashion presentation from the Middleboro home decor business Rekindled Home, which will show participants how to style their homes using recycled items. 

“The idea is to get youth involved and give kids the chance to educate the public and the community,” said French. 

The fair is co-sponsored by Sustainable Middleboro, New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance and Middleboro High School’s Youth Environmental Social Society Club.

What makes the fair unique, said French, is that there is something for every age. “There are so few places in our communities where you have every single age, and this fair has that, from little kids to grandparents.”

Sustainable Middleboro is a nonprofit organization that aims to help moderate to low-income residents find ways to save on energy costs. “We advocate for policies and tools that will help people make this transition to adopting home improvements that will reduce their energy costs,” said French.

One of the nonprofit’s most recent accomplishments, she said, is the creation of a spreadsheet summarizing every federal, state and local rebate, tax credit and financing programs that Middleboro residents are eligible for. 

She added that Sustainable Middleboro is also pushing for ways to make weatherizing homes more affordable, such as offering zero percent financing loans on insulation, air sealing, heat pumps and heat pump water heaters.