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.

We will accept up to 70 businesses.

Start with our resources page. Read inspiring stories about other young entrepreneurs and play games to hone your business skills.

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.

The application asks kids to think through some simple, but important elements of their business:

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?

(Update) The fair has moved from Milwee (indoor) to Lake Eola (Outdoor). Each business will be given a booth (please bring your own tent+ table + chair). Table cloths will not be provided.

Why did the location move to Lake Eola?

(Update) Although we're grateful to Milwee for providing us with an exceptional indoor venue in the past, we've made the decision to relocate to Lake Eola this year. This move will enable us to better accommodate all participants, as Lake Eola is more centrally located. Additionally, we've received feedback suggesting the need to increase foot traffic and profitability for kids. By moving to Lake Eola, we aim to provide greater exposure for the kids and enhance their overall experience.

Unfortunately, we are not able to provide electricity to the booths.

Is there a cost to register for the booth application?

Yes, to cover the basic operational costs we request a nominal charge of $10 which is due at the time of registration. As a participant, you are also required to wear the Kid$ Bi$ T-shirt which is an additional charge. Details of it will be provided shortly. Stay tuned for more details.

Is the participant required to wear the T-shirt?

Yes. All the participating kids entrepreneurs are required to wear the Kid$ Bi$ Tshirts for the upcoming event. This will allow for our judges and media to spot your entrepreneurs easily and help encourage our sponsors to get the spotlight and help award the winners. 

Why is a T-Shirt Required for the Event?

The T-shirt serves as a uniform for all participants, creating a sense of unity and identity among the attendees. It also helps organizers and staff easily identify participants during the event, ensuring smooth coordination and assistance, especially helping the judges to identify which booth participants to judge for.

How Do I Order the T-Shirt and how much does it cost?
 
You can place your order by filling out the form: https://forms.gle/1pRda8HeoaxepVir6
Thanks to our sponsors, the shirt costs only $10. We will close accepting shirts on June 15, 2024 after which the door price will be $20. The distribution of the t-shirts will be announced at a later date.

How can I sponsor your event?
Sponsorships are essential for the success of our event and help provide a valuable experience for all participants. Here are the  Sponsorship Packages for your reference. Please review them and reach out to orlandobalvihar@gmail.com, if you have any questions.

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.

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.