Lincoln Children's Business Fair event image
📣 Applications are CLOSED! You are still invited to come join the fun on Saturday as a shopper!

Lincoln Children's Business Fair

Saturday, November 12, 2022

11:00AM - 1:00PM

Acton Academy Lincoln

8400 Cody Dr, Lincoln, NE 68512, USA

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About the fair
Inspire 💡 the mindset of an entrepreneur in your child at the Lincoln Children's Business Fair! 💼💵

Your child will develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at our one-day marketplace where they have the opportunity to earn real money from real customers!

We will host up to 60 youth start-up businesses on Saturday, November 12th from 11:00 pm - 1:00 pm at Acton Academy Lincoln (8400 Cody Drive, Lincoln Nebraska)

📋Event Activities:
9:30- Participant Check-In, Set-up & Sneak Peek Shopping
11:00 - 1:00 Public Marketplace & Judging
1:30 Awards Ceremony

Booth Details:
Upon acceptance of your application, you will be asked to pay the $20 booth fee in order to secure your booth. Each booth includes (1) 6 ft table, (1) chair, and a table cloth. 

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Our youth are capable of far more than we can imagine.  When we can inspire them through stories of entrepreneurs who have gone before, emphasize the journey of growth over the result itself, and give them the opportunity to learn through real-world, hands-on experiences, these #kidpreneurs will be inspired to discover their most precious gifts.

This event is hosted by Acton Academy Lincoln. We 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. 
Hosted by

Zach Harsin

🗓️ Started hosting in 2020

Identity verified

🚀 Has hosted 7 fairs

Acton Academy Lincoln is the school that empowers your child for life. This is a brand new micro-school in Lincoln started by two local parents who were looking for something more for their family's education.

50 booths participating

The Homegrown Stone

Super deLux's

And 48 others.

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 60 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.

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.

What is on the application?

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.

How will the fair be set up?

The fair will be an outdoor event with booths. Each business will be given a booth with a 6-foot table, and 1- chair. 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 setup, customer interaction, and sales.

Parents may help their children 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.

Our incredible sponsors

Children's Business Fair

Acton Academy

Next Great Adventure

Econic

Pittenger & Anderson, Inc

Acton Academy Lincoln