Circleville Children's Business Fair
Saturday, September 12, 2026
9:00AM - 12:00PM
Applications are closed
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About the fair
Come join the opportunity for children to launch their very own startup business!
KIDS, create your business then come open for customers at this one-day marketplace. Show the community what you can do!
ADULTS, come shop, support, and encourage these young entrepreneurs. They are amazing and have wonderful things to offer!
ADULTS, come shop, support, and encourage these young entrepreneurs. They are amazing and have wonderful things to offer!
We will host up to 20 booths at this 4th annual Circleville Children's Business Fair, held at Northridge Church of Christ on Saturday, September 12th, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon.
This event is sponsored by Northridge Church of Christ, Acton Academy, the Acton School of Business, and the generous support of our donors and volunteers.
Local business leaders and mentors will visit with the children and learn about their businesses, giving participants a terrific opportunity to talk with adults who can help them grow their skills. There is a nominal booth fee of $15.00 per booth to simulate a business start-up expense; all money collected from these fees will be used for advertising, awards, and other things that will directly benefit the young entrepreneurs. We want this to be a truly exciting and helpful experience for the students!
Local business leaders and mentors will visit with the children and learn about their businesses, giving participants a terrific opportunity to talk with adults who can help them grow their skills. There is a nominal booth fee of $15.00 per booth to simulate a business start-up expense; all money collected from these fees will be used for advertising, awards, and other things that will directly benefit the young entrepreneurs. We want this to be a truly exciting and helpful experience for the students!
Whether an entrepreneur is famous or is one of the thousands of unsung small business owners across this country, these are the people who make sacrifices to innovate, create jobs and serve their communities.
Young people can learn valuable skills, life lessons, and leadership through starting and running a business. We're excited to bring this opportunity to the children of our area again this year!
Young people can learn valuable skills, life lessons, and leadership through starting and running a business. We're excited to bring this opportunity to the children of our area again this year!
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Kimberly Cottle
🗓️ Started hosting in 2023
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Frequently asked questions
What is the Acton Children’s Business Fair?
The Acton Children’s Business Fair inspires children to discover their inner entrepreneur. The largest entrepreneurship event for kids in North America, these one-day markets give children the opportunity to showcase their very own businesses. Circleville Children's Business Fair has partnered with the Acton group to make this event possible.
The Acton Children’s Business Fair inspires children to discover their inner entrepreneur. The largest entrepreneurship event for kids in North America, these one-day markets give children the opportunity to showcase their very own businesses. Circleville Children's Business Fair has partnered with the Acton group to make this event possible.
How many businesses will you accept?
We will accept up to 20 businesses.
Where should I begin?
Start with our resources page. Read inspiring stories about other young entrepreneurs and play games to hone your business skills.
Start with our resources page. Read inspiring stories about other young entrepreneurs and play games to hone your business skills.
How do I apply? Can I apply as part of a group?
Applications must be submitted online. Please submit one application for each business. Children working as a group should submit one application that includes each child’s information. No more than 3 participants per business, please.
Applications must be submitted online. Please submit one application for each business. Children working as a group should submit one application that includes each child’s information. No more than 3 participants per business, please.
What ages may participate?
Entrepreneurs ages 6-17 are welcome to join in this event.
Is there a cost to participate?
There is a booth fee of $15.00 per booth. This will simulate a business start-up expense and all money collected from these fees will be used for advertising, awards, and other things directly benefiting the entrepreneurs. When a business is accepted for the fair, we will send a confirmation email that will tell how to pay this fee. The fee must be paid at that time to hold the booth space.
What is on the application?
The application asks kids to think through some simple, but important elements of their business:
The application asks kids to think through some simple, but important elements of their business:
- What product or service do you plan to sell?
- What price will you charge for each product/service? How much will each product/service cost you?
- How will you pay for your startup costs? If someone is helping you with your startup costs, how will you pay that person back?
- How will you advertise/market your business before the fair?
- At the end of the fair, how will you determine if your business was a success?
What if someone else has the same business idea?
Two cupcake businesses? Not a problem. Just as most towns have multiple restaurants and grocery stores, we will allow multiple booths with similar ideas or products. This encourages the entrepreneurs to do their best and allows more kids to participate.
We do, however, reserve the right to limit the number and type of businesses as our team may deem necessary.
Two cupcake businesses? Not a problem. Just as most towns have multiple restaurants and grocery stores, we will allow multiple booths with similar ideas or products. This encourages the entrepreneurs to do their best and allows more kids to participate.
We do, however, reserve the right to limit the number and type of businesses as our team may deem necessary.
How will the fair be set up?
The fair will be a partially covered outdoor event with booths, held in and around the shelterhouse at Northridge Church of Christ, 578 Northridge Road in Circleville. Participants are welcome to bring a canopy in case their booth is not covered by the shelterhouse. Each business will be provided a booth space with a 6-foot or 8-foot table and 1-2 chairs (participants will choose a location when they arrive). Table coverings are not provided.
The fair will be a partially covered outdoor event with booths, held in and around the shelterhouse at Northridge Church of Christ, 578 Northridge Road in Circleville. Participants are welcome to bring a canopy in case their booth is not covered by the shelterhouse. Each business will be provided a booth space with a 6-foot or 8-foot table and 1-2 chairs (participants will choose a location when they arrive). Table coverings are not provided.
Will electricity be available?
Electricity is available for a limited number of booths. If you'll need electricity, please let us know that in your application so that we can determine if an appropriate space is available.
Electricity is available for a limited number of booths. If you'll need electricity, please let us know that in your application so that we can determine if an appropriate space is available.
What are the rules?
This event is designed to give children ages 6-17 the experience of coming up with an idea, then creating a business selling a product or service. As such, all businesses must be conducted, start to finish, by the young entrepreneurs with limited help from parents or other adults. This is the kids' time to learn, create, and shine!
Parents may help their child fill out the application, but we expect the children to do as much as possible by themselves.
This event is designed to give children ages 6-17 the experience of coming up with an idea, then creating a business selling a product or service. As such, all businesses must be conducted, start to finish, by the young entrepreneurs with limited help from parents or other adults. This is the kids' time to learn, create, and shine!
Parents may help their child fill out the application, but we expect the children to do as much as possible by themselves.
Parents may sit in the booth, but the children should be responsible for set up, customer interaction, and sales. Encourage and help, if needed, but let the entrepreneur be "the star of their show."
How did the Acton Children’s Business Fair get started?
Jeff and Laura Sandefer and a few other families wanted to spark a sense of wonder and entrepreneurship in their children, so they created the first Acton Children’s Business Fair in Austin, Texas, in 2007. That year, there were seven entrepreneurs and around 25 attendees. Now there are over thousands of entrepreneurs and countless attendees participating in hundreds of Acton Children's Business Fair around the world each year!
Jeff and Laura Sandefer and a few other families wanted to spark a sense of wonder and entrepreneurship in their children, so they created the first Acton Children’s Business Fair in Austin, Texas, in 2007. That year, there were seven entrepreneurs and around 25 attendees. Now there are over thousands of entrepreneurs and countless attendees participating in hundreds of Acton Children's Business Fair around the world each year!
