LEXINGTON, Ky. — The city's annual Truck-a-Palooza touch-a-truck event is returning Saturday with a new venue and expanded sensory accommodations for families with noise-sensitive members.

The event will run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Tates Creek High School, 1111 Centre Parkway. The Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works and the Fire Department will showcase more than 20 trucks for visitors to see, touch and climb inside.

For attendees concerned about loud noise, the first half of the event from 9 to 10:30 a.m. will be sensory-friendly. During that period, trucks will not use their horns and most will not have their engines running. Visitors arriving after 10:30 a.m. are recommended to bring ear protection, with city-provided earplugs available for those who need them.

Children and adults will have the opportunity to sit in drivers' seats of Waste Management trucks, see specialized equipment like the sewer robot used to inspect underground pipes, and learn about Traffic Engineering's bucket truck. Participants will also meet the drivers who maintain city streets, manage waste collection and oversee urban forestry operations.

Amenities at the free event include toy trucks, chalk and giveaways for younger visitors, as well as food trucks with refreshment options available for purchase. The site is wheelchair accessible, and free parking is available on the Tates Creek campus. Lextran Route 3 serves the area for those using public transportation.

Live Green Lexington, the outreach team for the Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works, noted that sponsoring companies help provide free career-related programming to Fayette County middle school students through the event.