Children's Business Fair Bowling Green, Missouri event image
📣 1st Annual Bowling Green Children's Business Fair

Children's Business Fair Bowling Green, Missouri

Saturday, November 11, 2023

11:00AM - 1:00PM

Bowling Green Visitor Center

18047 Business, MO-161, Bowling Green, MO 63334, USA

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About the fair
Observe the opportunity for children to launch their very own startup business!

Kids develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at our one-day marketplace. 

We will host up to 20 booths at the 1st annual event at the Bowling Green Visitors Center on November 11, 2023 from 11 am – 1 pm.

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

Meredith Webb

🗓️ Started hosting in 2023

Identity verified

🚀 Has hosted 2 fairs

I'm Meredith, I started Pets & Company, a boarding, daycare, training facility in Chesterfield in 2006 with my Mom. It was my dream since I was a small child. When I learned about the Children's Business Fair, I knew this was something I wanted to bring to our town to allow our children the opportunity to start their own business. 

9 booths participating

Sports Cards by ZAK

Flies & Co.

And 7 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 20 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 inside and outside the visitors center, each business will need to bring their product, table cloth (optional), signage, promotional material, a way to take payment and any other supplies necessary to set up their store.


Will electricity be available?

Yes


What are the rules? 

NO GLITTER (per the Visitors Center 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.

Our incredible sponsors

Children's Business Fair

Acton Academy

Next Great Adventure

Pets & Company

Soulful Sweets

Sweet Scoops

M & B Freshies

Sierra Sparkles Art Studio

CJ's Welding

Caricatures by Aria Jane

Charmed Life Homemade Ornaments