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.

Start with our resources page (https://docs.google.com/file/d/1KdWInDrukGxAtjmvqItt1jpoYXXG-Y1p/edit?usp=docslist_api&filetype=msword). Read inspiring stories about other young entrepreneurs and play games to hone your business skills. Also, check out the Acton Children’s Business Fair Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ChildrensBusinessFair/) and Pinterest page (https://www.pinterest.com/childrensbusinessfair/business-ideas-for-kids/) for ideas.

There is a $20 fee to participate. These funds will be used for marketing/advertising, as well as signage and organizational materials. We encourage children to seek a sponsorship from a local business to cover this cost in exchange for the child creating a “sponsored by” sign and displaying it on the front of their table. The participation fee will be due at check-in on the day of the event.

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.
We will begin to notify accepted applicants by May 24th and will continue until we reach our cap of 20 businesses.

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 or assisting with production, 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?

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.

The fair will be an outdoor event with tables and will run alongside the Lake Lorraine Farmer’s Market. Each business will be given a designated space with a 5 foot table and 2-3 chairs. Some tables may be larger in size. Children are responsible for full setup and design of their space. Table cloths will not be provided. We are not able to accommodate businesses requiring electricity. If you wish to bring your own table and/or tent, please contact us prior to the event for approval.
What will happen in the event of inclement weather?
If the weather is not cooperating, we will postpone the fair until the following Thursday (June 24, 2021).

The Children’s Business Fair is open to any child between the ages of 6-15. This event is designed to give children the experience of selling a product or service.
All entries will be automatically entered in the business competition, and booths will be judged by fellow entrepreneurs on a variety of criteria, including most
original business idea, highest business potential, and best presentation/creativity. 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 (9 years and under) may sit in the booth, but the children should be responsible for set up, customer interaction, and sales. Parents may help carry items to and from the car. Parents of children 10 years and older are expected to wait in a separate area during the fair.

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

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.