📣
Acton Hybrid Academy is a homeschool support two day a week program for ages 5 & up inviting all young entrepreneurs, community members, & shoppers to join us for our 4th Annual Event!
Acton Hybrid's 4th Annual Fair
Saturday, October 4, 2025
12:30PM - 3:00PM
Applications are closed
Join mailing list
About the fair
Observe the opportunity for children to launch their very own startup business!
Kids develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at our one-day marketplace.
Join us at our 4th annual event in Castle Rock Saturday, September 28th, 12:30-3:00 at the Douglas County Fairgrounds @Kirk Hall (follow the signs near the red slide & playground).
The venue will be indoors @Kirk Hall & have a table & chair for each seller. All students who are selling products will need to bring everything else for their set up to include: tablecloths, signs (with tape or stands), display items, decorations, cash box, etc.
We will host 50 tables for the cost of $20 each table which helps to cover the cost of renting the indoor facility, tables & chairs.
This market is for young entrepreneurs & everything (products, logo, set up, etc) should be made by them with little to no assistance from adults.
Once your student has applied, we will be limited businesses that are similar this year, so think of ways to make your students business unique. An email of acceptance will be sent. Please look for that from csprister@reagan.com or csprister@actonhybrid.com.
The venue will be indoors @Kirk Hall & have a table & chair for each seller. All students who are selling products will need to bring everything else for their set up to include: tablecloths, signs (with tape or stands), display items, decorations, cash box, etc.
We will host 50 tables for the cost of $20 each table which helps to cover the cost of renting the indoor facility, tables & chairs.
This market is for young entrepreneurs & everything (products, logo, set up, etc) should be made by them with little to no assistance from adults.
Once your student has applied, we will be limited businesses that are similar this year, so think of ways to make your students business unique. An email of acceptance will be sent. Please look for that from csprister@reagan.com or csprister@actonhybrid.com.
Once accepted, read details here to help prepare for the Fair & pay your $20 entry fee via Zelle: csprister@actonhybrid.com Venmo: https://www.venmo.com/u/Colleen-Sprister
Watch highlights from our 2021 fair to inspire ideas.
Applicants that are enrolled in Acton Hybrid Academy of CR do NOT need to pay for the table.
This event is sponsored by Acton Hybrid Academy of Castle Rock, Acton Academy, the Acton School of Business, and the generous support of our donors and volunteers. We all believe that principled entrepreneurs are heroes and role models for the next generation.
Whether an entrepreneur is famous like Elon Musk or Oprah Winfrey or they are one of the thousands of unsung business owners across this country, these are the people who make sacrifices to innovate, create jobs and serve their communities.
**We have business sponsorships available at $100, $250 or $500 levels. All funds will go towards prizes, possibly T-shirts & our academy. More details here
Once your student has applied, an email of acceptance will be sent (please look for that email from Nicolevanzo1@gmail.com or csprister@reagan.com or csprister@actonhybrid.com). Please note if you do NOT agree to have your child(ren)'s photos taken, they will not be accepted since we are a small fair we can't guarantee they will not be in group shots or videos that we share on social media. At no time do we share specific names or information, just pictures to get others excited to join us. See details here to help prepare for the Application & Fair.
Thanks so much! Colleen Sprister / Csprister@actonhybrid.com
**We have business sponsorships available at $100, $250 or $500 levels. All funds will go towards prizes, possibly T-shirts & our academy. More details here
Once your student has applied, an email of acceptance will be sent (please look for that email from Nicolevanzo1@gmail.com or csprister@reagan.com or csprister@actonhybrid.com). Please note if you do NOT agree to have your child(ren)'s photos taken, they will not be accepted since we are a small fair we can't guarantee they will not be in group shots or videos that we share on social media. At no time do we share specific names or information, just pictures to get others excited to join us. See details here to help prepare for the Application & Fair.
Thanks so much! Colleen Sprister / Csprister@actonhybrid.com
Hosted by
Colleen Sprister
🗓️ Started hosting in 2021
✅ Identity verified
⭐️ 4.8 (9)
Frequently asked questions
What is the Acton Children’s Business Fair?
The Acton Children’s Business Fair inspires students ages 5 & up 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.
The Acton Children’s Business Fair inspires students ages 5 & up 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 young entrepreneur run businesses.
We will accept up to 50 young entrepreneur run 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. Use these documents to dig deeper:
Business Idea Worksheet
Start with our resources page. Read inspiring stories about other young entrepreneurs and play games to hone your business skills. Use these documents to dig deeper:
Business Idea Worksheet
Marketing Island
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 information. No more than 2 participants per business.
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 information. No more than 2 participants per business.
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. 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.
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 indoor event at Douglas County Fairgrounds in Kirk Hall. We will provide a table & chairs. We ask each business to bring their own decorations, tablecloths, stands for signs (you may or may not have a wall to hang them), etc. We are not able to accommodate businesses requiring electricity.
The fair will be an indoor event at Douglas County Fairgrounds in Kirk Hall. We will provide a table & chairs. We ask each business to bring their own decorations, tablecloths, stands for signs (you may or may not have a wall to hang them), etc. We are not able to accommodate businesses requiring electricity.
Will electricity be available?
Unfortunately, we are not able to provide electricity to the booths.
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.
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. 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.
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.
