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Applications open for youth entrepreneurs!
Acton Children's Business Fair
Sunday, November 10, 2024
12:00PM - 3:00PM
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About the fair
Welcome all youth entrepreneurs! Children from the ages of 5-17 will develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at our one-day marketplace at The Stix Icehouse! Be sure to check out the FAQ at the bottom for all of the details!
This event is sponsored by Acton Children's Business Fairs, The Stix Icehouse, 5 Star Windows LLC, Perfect Spiral Capital, and the generous support of our 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.
Hosted by
Christina Dowdell
🗓️ Started hosting in 2019
✅ Identity verified
⭐️ 4.6 (5)
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
Em and Bubbas Creations
Aeipathy
And 16 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 35 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.
VENMO $25 Booth fee to @northtxactoncbf please note the child's name and the name of their business.
All fees include 1 t-shirt and vendor space. Prize money will be presented to the top award winning businesses of the Fair. **We have given away over $225 at every Fair we have hosted**
VENMO $25 Booth fee to @northtxactoncbf please note the child's name and the name of their business.
All fees include 1 t-shirt and vendor space. Prize money will be presented to the top award winning businesses of the Fair. **We have given away over $225 at every Fair we have hosted**
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 each business given a 10x10' space in the 14 acres (by the soccer field) at our incredible location at The Stix Icehouse. Businesses will need to supply their OWN table/display, canopy, chairs, etc. This allows our businesses to set up unique to them. 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 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.
