What is the Acton Children’s Business Fair?

The Acton Children’s Business Fair inspires children to discover their inner entrepreneur. 

We will accept up to 35 businesses. 

Apply! Answer what you can. We know this is a working process. 

Application must be submitted online. Answer the question you can and keep going. 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.

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.

The fair will be a outdoor event with booths. Table and chairs will not be provided. We are not able to accommodate businesses requiring electricity.

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

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.

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.