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Registration deadline: Friday July 21st 6pm est
Next up Kids Children's Business Fair Columbia, South Carolina
Saturday, July 29, 2023
9:00AM - 3:00PM
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About the fair
Free information session, we will go over the rules and what the business fair is all about. If you have any questions please bring them here:
Saturday July 1st
12pm-2pm
312 Laurel St, Columbia, SC 29201 (Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park) next to the red building at the entrance.
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Observe the opportunity for children ages 6-17 to launch their very own startup business!
Kids will develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at our one-day marketplace.
The Next up KIDS Children's Business Fair event will be held at 7530 & 7532 Woodrow St, Irmo, SC 29063 on Saturday July 29th from 9 am – 3 pm.
There will be prizes for the different age groups. There will also be a raffle for everyone who purchases a product or service from a child.
There is a $10 application fee, you will be able to submit below.
Upon application approval there is a $70 registration fee. This fee covers the following for each business participating:
1. Table
2. Chairs
3. Participation Bags and gifts
4. Lunch and Snacks
5. Pizza Party (Pre-Launch Seminar)
The Pre-Launch Seminar details will be provided upon application approval. This will give kids a chance to get to know one another and learn more about the set up, prizes, rules, and location of the fair. We encourage all participants to attend the pre-launch to make new friends and enjoy pizza.
All entries will automatically be entered in the business competition, and tables will be judged based original business idea, highest business potential, and best presentation/creativity of the following age groups: 6-8, 9-11, 12-14, and 15-17.
This event is sponsored by Acton Academy, the Acton School of Business, Building U, Black Girls' Clubhouse, 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 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.
Any questions please email nextupkids1@gmail.com
Any questions please email nextupkids1@gmail.com
Hosted by
Shanquitta Addison
🗓️ Started hosting in 2022
✅ Identity verified
🚀 Has hosted 2 fairs
We are a team of passionate military veteran entrepreneurs and parents, who want our children to learn about entrepreneurship in a practical and fun way.
6 booths participating
Oh Goody Slime.
The Sockers
And 4 others.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Children’s Business Fair?
The Children’s Business Fair inspires children to discover their inner entrepreneur. 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 25 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?
Please arrive on time. Children will have 1 hour to set up their tables before customers start entering. Kids will be responsible for selling their own products and interacting with potential customers. Children should be encouraged to ask questions and share the knowledge they have with each other. At the end of the fair children will be responsible for the breakdown of their own set up.
Please arrive on time. Children will have 1 hour to set up their tables before customers start entering. Kids will be responsible for selling their own products and interacting with potential customers. Children should be encouraged to ask questions and share the knowledge they have with each other. At the end of the fair children will be responsible for the breakdown of their own set up.
Will electricity be available?
Unfortunately, we are not able to provide electricity to the tables.
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.
