Newton Children's Business Fair Newton, MA
Saturday, May 16, 2026
11:00AM - 3:00PM
Currently accepting applications 🏁
Apply to the fair
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 25 booths at our annual Newton Children's Business Fair on the grounds of The Street Chestnut Hill from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm on May 16th 2026. Award Ceremony will be held from 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm.
Applicants must be between the ages of 6 - 14 on or before the event date. Set-up time for our participants will be 10:00 am - 11:00 am .
RAIN DATE: Sunday, May 17th 2026, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
RAIN DATE: Sunday, May 17th 2026, 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Instead of an application fee at the time of submission, we will be collecting a $25 participation fee only from all accepted business ideas. Maximum of two participants per application are allowed. Applications with more than 2 participants will be automatically disqualified.
Awards and cash prize of $50 (to be split among the business owners) will be presented in each of these categories, "Highest Business Potential," "Most Creative Idea," and "Most Impressive Presentation."
This event is sponsored by Acton Academy, the Acton School of Business, The Village Bank and the generous support of our donors and volunteers. We are thankful to The Street, Chestnut Hill for allowing us to use the space and other facilities.
Thanks to our sponsors, last year we gave out $450 in awards and had 12 raffle entries for our young entrepreneur participants to win!!! All participants will be automatically entered in a raffle. Raffle prizes will be announced closer to the date.
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.
We look forward to seeing you there and supporting our budding entrepreneurs!
Thanks to our sponsors, last year we gave out $450 in awards and had 12 raffle entries for our young entrepreneur participants to win!!! All participants will be automatically entered in a raffle. Raffle prizes will be announced closer to the date.
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.
We look forward to seeing you there and supporting our budding entrepreneurs!
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Geeti Gangal
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25 booths participating
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Frequently asked questions
What is the Acton Children’s Business Fair?
The Newton 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 25 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 2 participants per business. The application form might show add 3rd participant. However, applications submitted with more than 2 participants will be automatically disqualified.
- No more than 2 participants per business. The application form might show add 3rd participant. However, applications submitted with more than 2 participants will be automatically disqualified.
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?
Are food and drink business allowed?
- Food - Only fully baked goods with no perishable topping/frosting.
- Drinks - No Lemonade or any homemade drinks.
- For Health and safety reasons, no perishable item(s) is allowed.
What if someone else has the same business idea?
Two cupcake businesses? Not a problem. In general, we will let market forces play out.
How will the fair be set up?
The fair will be a tented outdoor event with booths. Two businesses will be given a booth with an 8-foot table (to share, so each business will have a 4 ft space), full-cover tenting, and 1-2 chairs. Table cloths will be provided. Banners can only be placed in the front of the table and cannot be hung on the tent, so plan for your marketing material accordingly.
Will electricity be available?
No, 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.
