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Children's Business Fair in Port St. Lucie

Saturday, February 7, 2026

10:00AM - 1:00PM

Acton Academy Port St. Lucie

1151 SW Del Rio Blvd, Port St. Lucie, FL 34953, USA

Applications are closed

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About the fair
Observe the opportunity for the next generation to launch their very own startup business!

These "kidpreneurs" develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and open for customers at our one-day marketplace. 

We all believe that principled entrepreneurs are heroes and role models for the next generation.

The Children's Business Fair is open to all families who want their child (ages 5-17) to have the opportunity to:

  1. Make something with his or her own hands
  2. Sell it (safely) to a stranger
  3. Experience the freedom (and responsibility) of having a little extra spending money as a reward

Cash prizes will be awarded for Best Salesmanship, Most Creative, and Highest Business Potential, as determined by local entrepreneur judges.

Applications will close on January 24, 2025 or once all spots are filled.


Booth Reservation Fee

There is a $25 fee to reserve a booth. This helps cover the costs of hosting each booth and ensures participating families have some "skin in the game" ā€” fairs that do not charge a booth fee tend to see many people apply to participate who don't show up.

Plus, the kidpreneurs could consider $25 as startup costs that they must pay their parents back. The fee must be paid within seven days of applying; applications with unpaid reservation fees will be denied, and interested kidpreneurs may be asked to reapply.

If you canā€™t use PayPal, email us at info@actonpsl.org for alternative payment options. Anyone whose application is rejected by the CBF hosts will be refunded.

The number one reason we reject applications is if parents give bad contact information or do not respond to our confirmation emails. If we cannot contact you to confirm participation, we will assume that youā€™re no longer participating and withdraw your application.

The weeks of January 13-17 and 20-24, we will reach out to all the applicants to confirm participation via the email address provided. If you do not confirm participation, your space will be forfeited, and you will not be eligible for a refund for your booth fee.

Every booth is required to have a 10'x10' canopy tent.
The fair will only provide one 6' table and two chairs for every business. Families must bring their own tents. In previous years, the fair was able to provide canopy tents, but all tents have already been reserved.

We recommend looking for Ozark Trail canopies at Walmart if you want to buy one of your own, or a kidpreneur could ask a local business if they'd be willing to sponsor your booth by providing one. Your young entrepreneurs could even count it as a startup cost they must pay back to their ā€œinvestors.ā€ 


About Us

Acton Academy Port St. Lucie is the host of CBF. ActonPSL is a learner-driven education that guides each child on a journey to discover a calling and change the world.

CBF is sponsored by Acton Academy, the Acton School of Business, and the generous support of our donors and volunteers. We all believe that principled entrepreneurs are heroes and role models for the next generation.

If you have any questions, you can visit www.actonpsl.org, call (772) 237-0377, or email info@actonpsl.org
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Joshua Mason

šŸ—“ļø Started hosting in 2021

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Acton Childrenā€™s Business Fair?
The Acton Childrenā€™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.


Questions regarding participation

Can I help my child with cash or service at the fair? 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 childā€™s product or service, their childā€™s business may be disqualified from earning the cash prizes and may be disqualified from attending the next fair.

Parents may sit in the booth, but the children should be responsible for as much as possible ā€” set up, salesmanship, and handling cash. We understand some children may not know how to count cash or will need help with something like setting up the canopy. We leave it up to them and you to decide how to handle the various nuances that may arise.

Those who have learned (and earned) the most from business fairs have been those whose parents stepped back, even if it meant letting them fail. Entrepreneurship is a path full of failure. If they can fail early, often, and cheaply now, they'll be more likely to succeed in their own entrepreneurial ventures in the future.

Can my child accept electronic payments like credit cards?
We do not have any policy about payment other than no businesses run by adults can sell at the fair and no pre-orders except when using a third-party service with its own terms and conditions, such as crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter.

Itā€™s up to your entrepreneurs to decide what forms of payments they want to take. Do they want to accept credit cards? If so, are they ready to have be charged the 3% fee? Do they want to accept Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, Zelle, etc.? How will they handle those payments and keep track of them?

Regardless of what they choose, we encourage parents to let this be an opportunity for your child to be independent and even fail.

If you want to start a conversation with them about this, engage your child with non-leading questions and encourage them to think critically about their business. 

For example, rather than say, "Use Mommy's Cash App so you can accept electronic payments," ask:
  • How will you handle transactions?
  • Are you considering both cash and electronic payments?
  • If yes, how? Are you going to buy a card reader?
  • How will you pay for it ā€” a loan from mom and dad, gift money, etc.?
  • How will you store that money?

These questions can help guide them in their planning without taking away their autonomy.

 
What time does the fair start and end?
The fair is advertised as starting at 10 a.m. and ending at 1 p.m. Families can arrive as early as 8 a.m. The CBF guide says 9 a.m. but that is meant as a recommended start time. However, you are free to arrive much earlier, your booth may not be ready for you.
 
Do we bring our own table and tent?
We are providing one 6ā€™ table and one chair per kidpreneur at each booth. Families are responsible for bringing their own 10'x10' tent or canopy.

What quantity of product does my entrepreneur need to make?
Knowing how much product to make is one of the biggest and most exciting challenges of running a business.

They could make a limited number and sell out, which is a great feeling. But what if they had made more and couldā€™ve made more money?

They could make a large number. But what if they donā€™t sell enough to make a profit?

These are great questions that can help spark a conversation with your kidpreneurs.

We simply canā€™t predict how much each booth will sell because that could be affected by attendance, prices, competition, etc.

How do the awards work?
An exciting part of the fair is the addition of cash prizes. While no child has to be focused on earning the prizes, it serves as real-world feedback about their presentation and ideas.

We have asked local entrepreneurs to be judges at the fair who will make determinations for the winners of three $50 cash prizes: Best Presentation, Most Creative, and Highest Business Potential.

There will be three versions of each award given out to entrepreneurs in the following age categories: 5-7, 8-11, and 12-14. That means there will be three recipients of the Best Presentation award ā€” one in the 5-7 category, one in the 8-11 category, and one in the 12-14 category

Judges may choose to reveal themselves as judges or keep it a secret, so do your best regardless!

How will the fair be set up?
The fair will be a tented outdoor event with booths. Each business will be given a booth with a 6' table and 2 chairs. Tents and tablecloths will not be provided. Canopy tents are required.

Will electricity be available?
Businesses that require electricity should contact the event organizers first; we can accommodate a limited number of generators. We are not able to provide electricity to the booths.


Questions about applications


How many businesses will you accept?
We will accept 50 businesses. Priority will be given to businesses belonging to entrepreneurs ages 5-14. There is a possibility that we will accept up to 55 businesses based on number of applications and space.

Do you have alternative methods besides PayPal?
Yes. Please reach out to josh@actonpsl.org for alternative methods.

I applied but haven't heard back about anything. What's the status of my application?
You will hear from us if you are accepted or not. Please make sure to check the email you provided in the application. Each year, we have to reject several applications because parents did not check the emails they provided or respond.

If you have not received an acceptance email, your business has not been accepted. Search your inbox for emails from josh@actonpsl.org or check your Spam if you haven't received anything.

How do I apply? Can I apply as part of a group?
Applications must be submitted online. Please submit one application for each business. Children working as a group should submit one application that includes each childā€™s information. No more than 4 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 did the Acton Childrenā€™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 Childrenā€™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.

Our incredible sponsors

Children's Business Fair

Acton Academy

Next Great Adventure

Children's Services Council of St. Lucie County

ClearSEM Solutions

Port St. Lucie Business Club

The Giddings Group @ Think Mortgage

St. Lucie Voice

Brain Balance of Palm Beach Gardens

Cindy Lozano Marketing

Lucas Notary Services

Team Miranda Strong, Inc.

iTHINK Financial

All Elite Sports Academy, Inc

Enlightening Pathways Academy