Acton Children's Business Fair-DFW, TX event image
📣 Congratulations to all of our finalists! Come check out their booths on May 15 and don't forget to bring cash!

Acton Children's Business Fair-DFW, TX

Saturday, May 15, 2021

10:30AM - 1:30PM

The Sound

3111 Olympus Blvd, Coppell, TX 75019, USA

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About the fair
Calling all young entrepreneurs in the DFW area!

Do you have a product or service that you'd like to showcase to the world? Are you excited to try out a new idea in an awesome friends and family filled marketplace? 

The Acton Children's Business Fair hosted by The Humanist Academy is finally back! 

Limited seats are available. Please apply by April 1st. Finalists will be confirmed by April 15th, one month prior to the fair.  See FAQ section for more details. 

NOTE: The fair will be held entirely outdoors. We will adhere to the local COVID-19 guidelines to ensure the safety of all attendees (masks, social distancing). 
Hosted by

Vijay Shah

🗓️ Started hosting in 2017

Identity verified

🚀 Has hosted 7 fairs

Over the past three years The Humanist Academy has hosted multiple Acton Children's Business Fairs, providing a life changing experience for children ages 5-15 as they put themselves in the shoes of a real life Entrepreneur. They set up their booths, bring their products, interact with real customers and make real money. It is simply awesome. 
 
The Humanist Academy, is a non-profit private school, inspired and affiliated with Acton Academy, the first of its kind in the DFW area. Every year we try to inspire young heroes by hosting a Children's Business Fair. (Check out our blog post about last year's fair: https://thablogyear3.wordpress.com/2018/11/21/the-childrens-business-fair-end-of-session-2/
 
Our first year we had 33 booths, and second year we had to cap it at 60. Children from all over the DFW Area were excited to sell their products and market their businesses. 

This year we're excited to host this amazing event at The Sound in the Cypress Waters area in Coppell this spring. Friends and families are welcome to come, shop, and experience the magic of powerful children taking their destiny into their own hands! 

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, this one-day market gives children the opportunity to showcase their very own businesses.

How many businesses will you accept?
We will accept up to 50 businesses. We have limited seats available. Application deadline is April 1st. Finalists will be notified on April 15th, one month prior to the fair. 


How do I apply? Can I apply as part of a group?
Application 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 and adult's information. No more than 3 participants per business.

How much does it cost to have a booth?
Entry fee is $25 per business.

How do you submit payment?
Only submit payment if you are confirmed as a finalist (on April 15th).

There are two ways to submit payments:
1. Zelle Quickpay - to vijay@thehumanistacademy.org
OR
2. Mail or drop off a personal check made out to The Humanist Academy. Mailing address is: The Humanist Academy, 4441 W Airport Fwy, Suite#100, Irving, TX 75062.


What is on the application?
The application asks children 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. In general, we will let market forces play out, though we may limit the number of food booths, and will promote creativity. 

How will the fair be set up?
Each business will get a 6 foot table and a chair for set up. Table cloths will not be provided. We are not able to accommodate businesses requiring electricity.

Will electricity be available?
Unfortunately, we are not able to provide electricity to the booths.

What are the rules?
This event is designed to give children the experience of selling a product or service. If a parent is found selling or promoting a child’s product or service, their child’s business will be disqualified from the competition.

Parents of younger children may sit in the booth, but the children should be responsible for set up, customer interaction, and sales. Excessive parental involvement can result in disqualification or being excluded from the fair in the future. 

Parents may help their child fill out the application, but we expect the children to do as much as possible by themselves.

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 115 entrepreneurs and 1,500 attendees at the Acton Children's Business Fair in Austin.