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.

Due to our last-minute partnering with Vonzara Inc. and The Walnut Bridge Street Festival 2024, we will have a limited amount of space left but will include as many as possible.

Start with our resources page (https://www.childrensbusinessfair.org/resources). Read inspiring stories about other young entrepreneurs and play games to hone your business skills.

Applications 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. If you have multiple children running multiple businesses, please submit a separate application for each 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?

An effort will be made to contact all new applicants within a week of applying.
Is there a vendor booth fee?
We are requesting $50 for vendor spaces, which is a discounted rate from The Walnut Street Bridge Festival's normal rate of $100-150 via PayPal or Cashapp. (no PayPal account required.) This contribution helps cover essential expenses and ensures the success of our event, benefiting both the participants and our community as a whole. Your support is greatly appreciated!

While we will make an effort to not over-saturate any business type, multiple vendors will be allowed to sell the same items. We feel that this will give our young entrepreneurs a chance to get a “real-world”
feel for business competition and marketing strategy.

There will be a Kidzone Event below the bridge, with activities and kidpreneur vendors. Tables and chairs for your booth are NOT provided. YOU WILL NEED TO PROVIDE YOUR OWN TABLES AND CHAIRS FOR THIS EVENT.

Sorry, no electricity will be available at this event.

we have extended the event age to give children ages 5yrs.-18yrs the experience of selling a product or service.
The children should be responsible for as much of set-up, customer interaction, and sales as much as possible.
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.

As a homeschooling mother of five, with another little one on the way, I found myself pondering how my three eldest could earn money for their summer activities. That's when my children and I decided to weave entrepreneurship into our weekly lesson plans, aiming to equip them with the skills to initiate and manage successful businesses.

In our quest for inspiration, I began encountering Facebook pop-ups about the Acton Children’s Business Fair. After several months of checking, it became evident that there wasn’t one in Chattanooga, TN, or even many across Tennessee. However, the concept resonated deeply with me, and I thought, “Chattanooga deserves this!” So, I took the plunge and clicked the button to initiate our own fair.

Following a straightforward application process and a video interview, we were set to embark on this exciting journey. Acton provided invaluable resources, including a website for applications, ongoing support through a training group, and a plethora of ideas and templates to kickstart our venture. Additionally, they graciously offered a small scholarship at the culmination of our fair, helping to alleviate some of the financial burden incurred.

The Chattanooga Children’s Business Fair is on the lookout for sponsors, volunteers, and donations to support various aspects such as covering costs, providing swag, offering prizes, arranging snacks, and organizing entertainment for upcoming events. Your contribution, no matter how big or small, will make a significant difference in empowering young entrepreneurs and fostering a thriving community event.