IS4 Service's Children's Business Fair Philadelphia, Pennsylvania event image

IS4 Service's Children's Business Fair Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Saturday, October 19, 2024

11:00AM - 2:00PM

6600 Bustleton Ave

Philadelphia, PA 19149, 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 __ booths at the 1st annual event 6600 Bustelton Ave on October 19, 2024 from 10am – [2] pm.

This event is sponsored by Acton Academy, the Acton School of Business, IS4 Services Inc, Networking SiSTAR’s, 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.
Hosted by

Ivy Smith

🗓️ Started hosting in 2024

Identity verified

⭐️ 5.0 (2)


Ivy is a dedicated holistic wellness practitioner and doula, driven by a passion for empowering individuals and families. As a wife and mother of four, she understands the profound impact of holistic health and wellness on personal and familial well-being. With a non-judgmental approach, Ivy provides compassionate care and guidance throughout the birthing and postpartum journey.
Beyond her expertise in holistic wellness and doula care, Ivy is a seasoned financial literacy expert. She has a proven track record of helping families establish healthy financial habits and secure their long-term financial future. By providing practical tools and strategies, she empowers individuals to make informed financial decisions and achieve their goals.
Ivy is also committed to community development and support. She specializes in organizing community events that offer essential resources and services to low-income families. Through these initiatives, she aims to create stronger, more resilient communities.

12 booths participating

Aiden’s Homemade Lemonade

Pretty Prints

And 10 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 45 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 a tented outdoor event with booths. Each business will be given a booth with an 8-foot table (to share with one other business), full-cover tenting, and 1-2 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.

Our incredible sponsors

Children's Business Fair

Acton Academy

Next Great Adventure

IS4 Services Inc