CANTON — Thirteen was a lucky number for the annual North Country Sustainable Energy Fair and Home Tours, which continued its growth as a regional event.

With 60 exhibitors and 54 workshops, this year's fair is the largest so far, said Patricia M. Greene, who organized the event for Community Energy Services, a nonprofit corporation founded in 2001 to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy systems in the north country.

"We're in the midst of a kind of paradigm shift about the way we think," she said, pointing to the sharp climb in fuel prices and headlines about the growing threat of global warming.

Launched in February 1993, the then one-day Alternative Energy Fair at Clarkson University's Cheel Campus Center, Potsdam, drew some 500 visitors. This weekend's two-day event at the SUNY Canton Campus Center, which organizers hope will meet or exceed last year's 1,500 visitors, marked the 13th year the fair has been held.

"It's going pretty well," Ms. Greene said on the fair's final day. "It's slower today than yesterday, but that's to be expected on a Sunday morning. But we've had lots of excited people, so that's good."

The first fair was organized by Seedcorn Inc., a local grass-roots organization dedicated to education and awareness of social justice, peace and environmental issues. Community Energy Services took over as organizer in 2001.

For several years, the fair was held at J.M. McKenney Middle School. The fair moved to SUNY Canton in 2006.

This year's event offered an array of workshops on topics ranging from composting toilets and cordwood masonry for building to forming a regional power authority and global warming.

Exhibitors included local businesses such as Eco Heat Sales, Canton, and Aeon Heating & Air Conditioning, Potsdam, and state agencies such as the New York State Energy & Research Development Authority and the New York Power Authority. The fair also drew exhibitors from outside the north country, including Four Winds Renewable Energy, Steuben County, and Connecticut-based Noble Environmental Power, a wind-power company.

The fair provided homeowners Ian M. and Sheila K. Warden, Gouverneur, an opportunity to look at several options for heating their home and reducing electrical costs, the couple said.

"Right now, we heat with wood," Mr. Warden said. "At this point, it's labor intensive and I'm not getting any younger."

While they could always use the Internet to research options, a Google search provides thousands of choices, many of which are far outside the north country, even as far away as California, he said.

"Hopefully, these people will be in the region," he said.

At least some visitors came to the fair simply to educate themselves for the day when they might become homeowners.

Katherine Spangler, a SUNY Canton student studying veterinary science technology, now lives in an apartment but plans to own her home one day.

"I wanted to learn more about solar panels, biodiesel; and I wanted to recycle my light bulb," she said, while holding a compact fluorescent light bulb that is more energy-efficient than a standard light bulb.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs contain about 5 milligrams of mercury, which can contaminate soil and water if the bulbs are placed in landfills. Instead, they should be recycled whenever possible.

Getting in touch with people who want to learn about alternative energy options is the reason Thaddeus H. Ward was exhibiting at the fair.

Mr. Ward is New England sales manager for SunDrum Solar LLC, a Massachusetts-based company that manufacturers hybrid solar energy systems.

"I'm not trying to make any sales, just trying to raise awareness," he said, adding that his company sells only to distributors, not individual consumers. "I don't have a credit-card machine to take orders. If someone asked me to buy something right now, I'd say no."

The fair gave him just the opportunity he was seeking, Mr. Ward said. On Saturday, he talked to at least 50 people and gave out at least 125 brochures.

"We're seeing much bigger demand," he said.