Back to School Acton Children's Business Fair Chevy Chase, Maryland
Saturday, August 3, 2024
1:00PM - 4:00PM
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About the fair
My name is Naman Gupta and I'm a 15 year old entrepreneur! I have been a part of 2 Acton fairs and I have hosted 1 fair. As a long time pokemon card collector, these fairs allowed me to turn my old pokemon cards into a business opportunity. I learned how to decide the right price based on the cost. I also learned how to be enticing and intriguing to costumers walking by. The fairs helped me learn how to set up a business. I hope to continue giving young entrepreneurs in my community the opportunity of selling their ideas to others.
Kids develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at our one-day marketplace.
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 14 booths indoors at the RTR Pilates in the Shops at Wisconsin Place on Saturday, August 3 from 1pm - 4pm. Setup will begin at 12 pm.
Kids ages 6-15 can apply for a booth (with a maximum of two entrepreneurs
per business). There is a $35 fee per business once your application is approved. Prizes will be awarded for Highest Business Potential and Best Marketing Presentation.
No booths involving the sale of unpackaged food/beverages will be accepted as it is an indoor event.
I’m thrilled that teen entrepreneur, Piya Scielzo, will be our special guest for this event. She launched the Chevy Chase Acton children’s business fair in 2021 and has hosted six fairs in our community, all while successfully running her own business, Pops by Piya. She is also Miss Montgomery County’s Teen in the Miss America Organization and is looking forward to meeting all of our young entrepreneurs!
Kids ages 6-15 can apply for a booth (with a maximum of two entrepreneurs
per business). There is a $35 fee per business once your application is approved. Prizes will be awarded for Highest Business Potential and Best Marketing Presentation.
No booths involving the sale of unpackaged food/beverages will be accepted as it is an indoor event.
I’m thrilled that teen entrepreneur, Piya Scielzo, will be our special guest for this event. She launched the Chevy Chase Acton children’s business fair in 2021 and has hosted six fairs in our community, all while successfully running her own business, Pops by Piya. She is also Miss Montgomery County’s Teen in the Miss America Organization and is looking forward to meeting all of our young entrepreneurs!
This event is sponsored by Acton Academy, the Acton School of Business, The Shops at Wisconsin Place, and the generous support of our donors and volunteers. We all believe that principled entrepreneurs are heroes and role models for the next generation.
Hosted by
Mukti Gupta
🗓️ Started hosting in 2024
✅ Identity verified
🚀 Has hosted 3 fairs
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.
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 14 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 2 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 slime 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 indoor event with booths. Each business will be given a booth with an 6-foot table (to share with one other business), and 2 chairs. 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.
