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WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THIS EVENT. REGISTRATION ENDED JANUARY 24, 2018, 11:59 PM. PLEASE LOOK OUT FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OUR FALL EVENT.
Acton Children's Business Fair Columbia, SC
Saturday, March 3, 2018
9:00AM - 1:00PM
This fair has ended
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About the fair
Macaroni Kid Columbia & Lexington is honored to host 20 booths at the 1st Annual Children's Business Fair in Columbia, SC (Soda City Market) on March 3, 2018 from 9 am – 1 pm. All booths have been filled!
Youth ages 6 to 17 years old will have an opportunity to launch their very own startup business and showcase it to their family, friends and the community! Vendors will develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy and then open for customers at our one-day marketplace.
Youth ages 6 to 17 years old will have an opportunity to launch their very own startup business and showcase it to their family, friends and the community! Vendors will develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy and then open for customers at our one-day marketplace.
The vendor booth fee will be$10 per each participant to join the fair. Requiring this fee starts the learning process of investing in marketing as an entrepreneur! Parents will be emailed an invoice to pay any applicable vendor fees once applications are received and approved. Tables and chairs will not be provided.
Vendors whose applications have been accepted will be required to attend a Launch Event where they will learn more about the event and how to successfully launch their business. Fees must be paid before the Launch Event on February 3, 2018 from 3 - 5 pm at Spring Valley Storage & Business Centre (9005 Two Notch Road, Conference Room), Columbia, SC 29223.
Each vendor will receive a Certificate of Participation for being a part of the 1st Annual Columbia Children's Business Fair. All vendors will automatically be entered into the business competition by age group (6-9, 10-13, 14-17).
Booths will be judged in three categories:
- Most original business
- Highest business potential
- Best presentation/creativity
Cash prizes of $50 per category and age group (to be split among the business owners) will be presented at the conclusion of the fair.
Current Sponsors: Acton Academy, Acton School of Business, Soda City Market and Macaroni Kid Columbia-Lexington 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 your entrepreneur is famous like Elon Musk, 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.
Make sure you invite your family, friends and community to come out to support your business at the fair. We never know which one of you budding business owners will be on Good Morning America!!
We are excited about the opportunity for local business sponsors to support this awesome fair full of aspiring entrepreneurs. We are looking for sponsors to support this event in various ways: monetary sponsors, prizes for awards, gift cards, food and drinks for the youth participating, tent sponsorship, in-kind donations and any other way you would like to contribute. Thank you in advance! If interested please email jeanetted@macaronikid.com.
Make sure you invite your family, friends and community to come out to support your business at the fair. We never know which one of you budding business owners will be on Good Morning America!!
We are excited about the opportunity for local business sponsors to support this awesome fair full of aspiring entrepreneurs. We are looking for sponsors to support this event in various ways: monetary sponsors, prizes for awards, gift cards, food and drinks for the youth participating, tent sponsorship, in-kind donations and any other way you would like to contribute. Thank you in advance! If interested please email jeanetted@macaronikid.com.
Hosted by
Jeanette Dempsey
🗓️ Started hosting in 2017
🚀 Has hosted 2 fairs
We are a team of passionate entrepreneurs, teachers, mentors and parents, who want our children to learn about entrepreneurship in a practical and fun way.
18 booths participating
The Rosemary Store
#sistergoals
And 16 others.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Columbia Children’s Business Fair?
The Columbia Children’s Business Fair inspires children to discover their inner entrepreneur. As part of 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 20 vendors.
We will accept up to 20 vendors.
When does registration end?
January 24, 2018 at 11:59 pm - no exceptions
Will you accept any vendors after registration ends?
No, we have very limited space so no applications will be approved once we reach our limit.
When is the next Columbia Children's Business Fair?
We will be hosting a Fall event so that children can earn money for the holidays. Date - TBD
Where should I begin?
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?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 3 participants per business. $10 fee per participant.
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 outdoor event (rain or shine) with booths. Each businesses must provide their own table & chairs. Table covers will not be provided. Tents are welcome, but must have 50 pound weights attached as per the City of Columbia Fire Marshall.
The fair will be an outdoor event (rain or shine) with booths. Each businesses must provide their own table & chairs. Table covers will not be provided. Tents are welcome, but must have 50 pound weights attached as per the City of Columbia Fire Marshall.
What is the vendor fee?
The vendor fee is $10 per person. Fees are non-refundable.
Will electricity be available?
No, limited electricity will not be available.
No, limited electricity will not be available.
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 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.
