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Our fair is on Sat, March 25th, 12-3pm outdoors in Grant Park by the Recreation Center! Come join and bring cash!
Grant Park Children's Business Fair
Saturday, March 25, 2023
12:00PM - 3:00PM
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About the fair
The Grant Park Children’s Business Fair is a unique opportunity for children to launch their very own startup business!
This is great learning moment for kids to develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at our one-day marketplace.
Our upcoming fair on March 25, 2023 from 12-3pm, outdoors in Grant Park (by the Grant Park Recreation Center).
This event is sponsored by the Wythe Academy - a new Acton school that launched in fall 2022 in Grant Park. Learn more about Wythe here: https://wytheacademy.com/
Hosted by
Dani Philipose
🗓️ Started hosting in 2022
✅ Identity verified
🚀 Has hosted 3 fairs
We are a team of passionate entrepreneurs and parents, who want our children to learn about entrepreneurship in a practical and fun way.
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.
Where can I park when I get to the fair?
Street parking is available on Park Avenue SE and there is a small lot right next to the Grant Park Recreation Center (entrance to the lot is on Park Avenue SE and Sydney St). The fair will be set-up outdoors and adjacent to the Recreation Center in the park.
How many businesses will you accept?
We will accept up to 30 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?
Applications must be submitted online and by March 13, 2023. 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 participant will need to bring a table. Table cloths will not be provided. 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.
