ACTON CHILDREN’S BUSINESS FAIR
Kid-preneurs Wanted!
Saturday, JULY 11th from 9am – 12pm
Downtown Oshkosh, OPERA Square
What happens when children are given the opportunity to create something real?
At the Acton Children’s Business Fair, young entrepreneurs develop a business idea, create a product or service, build a brand, and open for real customers during a one-day marketplace experience.
Hosted by Acton Academy Oshkosh, this event is part of a global network of Children’s Business Fairs happening around the world. In fact, the very first fair began when the Sandefer children wanted to do more than sell lemonade in their front yard — and that spirit of creativity and entrepreneurship continues today.
This fair is open to ALL young entrepreneurs ages 4 – 18 across the Fox Valley area who are excited to create, innovate, and bring an idea to life.
$10 Booth Fee = Unlimited Possibility!
Applications are now open. Click to start your entrepreneurial journey!
BONUS: Business Pitch Contest!
Just like Shark Tank, share your business idea in
2 minutes or less to judges on the big stage!
CASH prizes to the winning pitch!
Categories by age groups: 4-7 / 8-12 / 13-18
FAQs
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How many businesses will you accept?
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Will electricity be available?
What are the rules?
We will accept up to 36 businesses.
How do I apply? Can I apply as part of a group?
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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 3 participants per business.
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 an 8-foot table (to share with one other business), full-cover tenting, and 1-2 chairs. Table cloths will not be provided. We are not able to accommodate businesses requiring electricity.
How did the Acton Children's Business Fair get started?
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. 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.
What if someone else has the same business idea?
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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.
Sponsors & Event Partners
