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Acton Children's Business Fair - Acton Academy Silicon Valley
Sunday, May 17, 2026
11:30AM - 2:00PM
Currently accepting applications 🏁
Apply to the fair
About the fair
Calling all young entrepreneurs ready to bring an idea to market! Join us at our bi-annual Children's Business Fair presented by Acton Academy Silicon Valley on May 17, 2026 from 11:30 am - 2:00 pm. The Fair will be held at The Courthouse Square in Redwood City.
Watch the official video from our last fair here!
The kidpreneurs will develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and engage with customers at our one-day business fair marketplace.
Registration:
Acton Academy Silicon Valley students: $35
Early Bird Registration (April 1): $45
General Registration (April 1-15): $55. *subject to capacity
Deadline for booth registration (ages 5-16) is April 15th, 2026 or once we reach capacity.
A non-refundable fee is due to confirm booth registration. Fee will covers set-up and clean-up, one 6 ft table and 1 chair.
Please note, that due to the Fair's location, Food & Beverages cannot be sold at any booth in accordance with San Mateo County Health Department guidelines.
Watch the official video from our last fair here!
The kidpreneurs will develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and engage with customers at our one-day business fair marketplace.
Registration:
Acton Academy Silicon Valley students: $35
Early Bird Registration (April 1): $45
General Registration (April 1-15): $55. *subject to capacity
Deadline for booth registration (ages 5-16) is April 15th, 2026 or once we reach capacity.
A non-refundable fee is due to confirm booth registration. Fee will covers set-up and clean-up, one 6 ft table and 1 chair.
Please note, that due to the Fair's location, Food & Beverages cannot be sold at any booth in accordance with San Mateo County Health Department guidelines.
This event is sponsored by Acton Academy Silicon Valley - Preschool-8th grade School in Redwood City: www.actonsv.com and The Acton School of Business, and the generous support of our donors and volunteers.
If you run into any problem during your registration process or have any questions, please send us a message at aasv-cbf@actonsv.com or on our fair page.
Please note: The businesses should be created and run primarily by your child(ren). Parents may provide limited guidance and supervision, but they should not run the business or interact with customers on behalf of the child. The goal of the Children’s Business Fair is for young entrepreneurs to take ownership of their ideas, practice decision-making, and engage directly with customers.
If you run into any problem during your registration process or have any questions, please send us a message at aasv-cbf@actonsv.com or on our fair page.
Please note: The businesses should be created and run primarily by your child(ren). Parents may provide limited guidance and supervision, but they should not run the business or interact with customers on behalf of the child. The goal of the Children’s Business Fair is for young entrepreneurs to take ownership of their ideas, practice decision-making, and engage directly with customers.
Hosted by
Christina Seruge
🗓️ Started hosting in 2021
✅ Identity verified
🚀 Has hosted 7 fairs
The mission of Acton Academy Silicon Valley (Preschool-8th grade school) is to create an environment of curiosity and deep exploration where every child can be who they are meant to be and find their calling.
Located in Redwood City, California, Acton Academy Silicon Valley delivers a 21st century education in a self-directed environment where learners become independent, global citizens prepared for the real world.
Through our annual business fair we seek to give children a platform to learn and apply their entrepreneurship skills 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.
Who is the Acton Academy Silicon Valley?
Located in Redwood City, California, Acton Academy Silicon Valley delivers a 21st-century Preschool-8th grade education in a self-directed environment where learners become independent, global citizens prepared for the real world.
Who is the Acton Academy Silicon Valley?
Located in Redwood City, California, Acton Academy Silicon Valley delivers a 21st-century Preschool-8th grade education in a self-directed environment where learners become independent, global citizens prepared for the real world.
Acton SV delivers experiential learning emphasizing teamwork, entrepreneurship, social-emotional awareness and a growth-mindset. Learn more here
What type of business is not acceptable?
Due to our location unfortunately, no home made food or drinks can be accepted due to County of San Mateo Health Department regulations. Example: no lemonade stands, ice-cream, cupcakes, baked goods stands etc.
How many businesses will you accept?
We will accept up to 70 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 register? Can I register as part of a group?
Registration must be submitted online. Please submit one registration form per business along with a non-refundable fee. Children working as a group should submit one registration that includes each child’s information. No more than 3 participants per business.
Registration Fee if selected:
Acton Academy Silicon Valley students: $35
Early Bird Registration (April 1): $45
General Registration (April 1-15): $55. *subject to capacity
If you ever run into any problem during your registration process, please send us a message at aasv-cbf@actonsv.com or on our fair page.
Registration Fee if selected:
Acton Academy Silicon Valley students: $35
Early Bird Registration (April 1): $45
General Registration (April 1-15): $55. *subject to capacity
If you ever run into any problem during your registration process, please send us a message at aasv-cbf@actonsv.com or on our fair page.
What is on the registration?
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 pottery 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 business will be given a booth with an 6-foot table and 1 chair. Table cloths will not be provided. We are not able to accommodate businesses requiring electricity. Due to space constraints only umbrellas will be permitted. Please supply your own umbrella for shade, no canopies will be allowed to set up.
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.
