What is the Acton Children’s Business Fair?
The Acton Children’s Business Fair inspires children to discover their inner entrepreneurs. The largest entrepreneurship event for kids in North America, this one-day market allows children to showcase their very own businesses.
How many businesses will you accept?
We are capped at 40 children’s businesses.
Is there a cost?
$7 vendor fee (can be paid online, mailed in, or brought the morning of. Please address checks to Lighthouse International: an Acton Academy
Where should I begin?
How do I apply? Can I apply as part of a group?
Applications must be submitted online AT THIS SITE, not the farmer’s market. Please submit one application for each business. Children working as a group in 1 business should submit one application that includes each child’s information. No more than 3 participants per business. Siblings who are selling different things should register separately.
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 is payment made?
Each business can bring a cash box (WITH change) OR accept electronic payments with QR codes. A great discussion question would be how customer receipts will be handled!
How will the fair be set up?
The fair will be an outdoor event. Each business will BRING THEIR OWN 4-8' table, a canopy tent if desired (40lbs weight required for each tent leg), lawn chairs, and table covering/decorations. A water bottle and snacks may also be a good idea.
Will electricity be available?
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide electricity to businesses.
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, or if the product and/or display have received noticeable adult assistance, their child’s business will be disqualified from the competition. For competition purposes, products must be child-made or heavily customized/personalized by the child. Store-bought items may not be presented as child-made, and non-customized products (water bottles, sodas, snacks) may not be sold as they compete with the actual Farmer's Market vendors. Lighthouse International will provide a goodie bag to each child business.
Parents of younger children may sit at the back of the booth, but the children should be responsible for setting up, customer interaction, and sales. NO adults should be interacting with customers on behalf of the business (selling, accepting payment, packaging, or delivering)
Parents may help their children fill out the application, but we expect the children to do as much as possible by themselves.
How did the Acton Children’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 Children’s Business Fair in Austin, Texas, in 2007. That year, there were seven entrepreneurs and around 25 attendees. Over 115 entrepreneurs and 1,500 attendees are now at the Acton Children’s Business Fair in Austin.
