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Come and shop to support these young entrepreneurs! Event is free admission and open to the public THIS Saturday from 10-4, or until all of the kids sell out, whichever comes first!
Atchison Children's Business Fair
Saturday, August 17, 2019
10:00AM - 4:00PM
This fair has ended
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About the fair
Observe the opportunity for children to launch their very own startup business!
Kids ages 6 to 15 will 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 several booths at the 1st annual Atchison Children's Business Fair at the Atchison Event Center, 701 S 9th Street, on Saturday, August 17th, from 10 am – 4 pm. To encourage shoppers to attend, this event is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
There is a $5 rental fee for booth spaces. Any money collected will be used to fund cash prizes, door prizes, and/or business grants for future events. We strongly encourage children to earn and pay the rental fee themselves to invest in their own business, whenever possible. (Please note: if you prepay with PayPal, the link to pay for a booth will take you off this website to one of our sponsors' websites, Mo-Kan Paranormal Investigators. Any payment made through that PayPal button WILL be received by Atchison Children's Business Fair. Sorry for any confusion or inconvenience. We hope to make this more user-friendly next year!)
There is a $5 rental fee for booth spaces. Any money collected will be used to fund cash prizes, door prizes, and/or business grants for future events. We strongly encourage children to earn and pay the rental fee themselves to invest in their own business, whenever possible. (Please note: if you prepay with PayPal, the link to pay for a booth will take you off this website to one of our sponsors' websites, Mo-Kan Paranormal Investigators. Any payment made through that PayPal button WILL be received by Atchison Children's Business Fair. Sorry for any confusion or inconvenience. We hope to make this more user-friendly next year!)
This event is sponsored by Acton Academy, the Acton School of Business, the Atchison Event Center, MKPI, 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
Amy Holt
🗓️ Started hosting in 2019
🚀 Has hosted 2 fairs
We are a team of passionate entrepreneurs, volunteers, mentors, and parents, who want children to learn about entrepreneurship in a practical and fun way.
If you are interested in volunteering with our team, please use the form on the Contact page.
If you are interested in volunteering with our team, please use the form on the Contact page.
7 booths participating
Mystical Rose
Emiline's Homemade Cookies
And 5 others.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Atchison Children’s Business Fair?
The Atchison 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 20 businesses this year.
- Where should I begin?
If you haven't decided on your business, need ideas, or aren't sure whether your business idea is profitable, we can help! Just use the Contact form to send us a message, and we'll send you a helpful PDF booklet, including some free ideas, forms for refining your ideas, and other resources.
If you have your business and are ready to begin, go ahead and fill out your application!
If you have your business and are ready to begin, go ahead and fill out your application!
- 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 an indoor event with tables. Each business will be given a 6- to 8-foot table (if less space is needed, two businesses may elect to share a table), chairs for participants (and a chair for parental supervision, as needed), and an ad space on the brochure. Solid-colored, thin plastic tablecloths (such as those sold in party supply stores) will be available at our cost of $1 each, or you may bring your own table covering. There is limited access to electrical outlets for businesses requiring electricity.
- Will electricity be available?
Yes; however, we are not able to provide electricity directly to all of the booths, so please request early if your business requires electricity. Requests will be accepted in the order they are received, until all available spots are filled.
- 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 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 and read through the information, but we encourage and expect the children to do as much as possible by themselves.
- How did the 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, as well as other Children's Business Fairs starting up around the country!
Our incredible sponsors
The Atchison Event Center
Acton Academy and Acton School of Business
Mo-Kan Paranormal Investigators (MKPI)
An Anonymous Donor
If you or your business would like to be a sponsor for this event, please contact Amy Holt at (816) 754-6673.
Acton Academy and Acton School of Business
Mo-Kan Paranormal Investigators (MKPI)
An Anonymous Donor
If you or your business would like to be a sponsor for this event, please contact Amy Holt at (816) 754-6673.
