Naperville Children's Business Fair | Children's Business Fair 440 Aurora Ave, Naperville, IL 60540, USA

📣 Visit the fair this Saturday, 8/7, from 10am-noon at Naperville Central High School!

Naperville Children's Business Fair

Saturday, August 7, 2021

10:00AM - 12:00PM

Naperville Central High School

440 Aurora Ave, Naperville, IL 60540, USA

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About the fair

(above: photo of Acton's original Children's Business Fair in Austin and Acton's video of the Austin Fair)

Come visit our fair this Saturday, 8/7, from 10am-noon at Naperville Central High School to see and support 50+ kid-owned businesses!

Naperville’s Inaugural Children’s Business Fair will feature an unique opportunity for kids ages 5-14 to test the waters of entrepreneurship and showcase their own businesses at a one day event in downtown Naperville!

This event will take place outdoors, at the front of Naperville Central High School, on Saturday, 8/7, from 10am-12pm.

Some other basic information:

The nonprofit fair will consist of 50+ kid-owned businesses, with free participation and attendance.
Kids first develop their own businesses, create products and services, then open up for customers at our marketplace.
At the end, winners in each of the age categories will be awarded a prize by experienced judges. All participants will also receive a coupon to Ben and Jerry's Naperville for a free scoop of ice cream!

Our fair grounds at the front of NCHS is marked in red. Available parking is marked in blue.

"If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that you can't hear them anymore." - Michelle Ruiz, Entrepreneur

Thank you so much to Naperville School District 203, the Naperville Education Foundation, Acton Academy, and the generous support of our sponsors and volunteers for making this event possible! If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please contact napervillebusinessfair@gmail.com.

Hosted by

Athena Chen

🗓️ Started hosting in 2020

🚀 Has hosted 4 fairs

Hello!

We are a team of passionate entrepreneurs, teachers, mentors, and parents, who want children to learn about entrepreneurship in a fun way.

We're led by Athena Chen, a Naperville Central High School rising sophmore who participated in a Children's Business Fair several years ago and was inspired by her life-changing experience to start one in her own community.

62 booths participating

Magic jewelry

Weston’s Awesome Applesauce

And 60 others.

Contact host

Having issues? Report fair

Frequently asked questions

Why should I participate?

First off - it's incredibly FUN. You'll be able to meet tons of new friends and interact with experienced mentors along the way!

Even if you aren't interested in business as a future job, creating and running a business young allows kids to gain a variety of skills for any career, in a very hands-on way:

Money management
Organization
Customer service
Creative thinking
Time management
Leadership
Communication
... and more!

How many businesses will you accept?

We are hosting 50+ businesses!

For kids - where do I begin?

Develop a business idea! Check out this website for some possible products/services: 101+ Business Ideas for Kids.
Keep in mind different factors such as cost and advertising when creating your business!

For parents - where do I begin?

Guide your child(ren) to creating their own business.
Let them do the thinking and planning! As much as you'd like to help them, this is a chance for kids to take matters into their own hands.

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.

Remember that if you need to back out after applying, please let us know at least 14 days in advance and contact us through this website, or napervillebusinessfair@gmail.com!

What is on the application?

The application asks kids to think through some simple, but important elements of their business. Please allow your kids answer the questions independently, to the best of their abilities!

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 happens after I apply?

We'll be reviewing all applications and will get back to you within 5 business days. Once you're admitted, get started on your business! We'll have a pre-fair Information Session hosted at the Naperville Public Library several weeks before the event, to go over how the fair will work.

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 will let later entries know if another applicant has a similar idea so the later entrant can decide what to do.

How will the fair be set up?

The fair will be an outdoor event with booths. Each business will be given a booth with an 8-foot table and 1-2 chairs. Tents may or may not be provided, depending on sponsors. Table cloths will not be provided.

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.
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.