Fair FAQs

What is the Acton Children’s Business Fair?

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.

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. Now, there are over 115 entrepreneurs and 1,500 attendees at the Acton Children's Business Fair in Austin.

Arrow Accelerated Academy hosted their first fair in the summer of 2021 with 30 kidpreneurs. This fair has grown to welcome approximately 50 young entrepreneurs and hundreds of guests to shop the fair and be inspired by the incredible talent of these young people.

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 3 participants per business. Only one business per table.

What is on the application?

The application asks young entrepreneurs 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?

Is there a deadline to apply?

Applications will close on June 15th, 2024 or whenever all 50 spots are filled. Whichever happens first!

Is there a fee to participate?

There is a $25 booth fee for participants. This fee contributes to the cost of the table, tents, and advertising for participants.

Young entrepreneurs may need to ask for a business loan from their parents/guardians to get started to cover the participation fee and other business expenses!

How many tables/booths will be at this year's fair?

We will have spots for 50 tables/booths at this year's fair!

Does my child have to be a student at Arrow Accelerated Academy to participate?

Nope! While we have some tables reserved for Arrow learners, this fair is open to the public!

If your child enjoys this style of project-based, hands-on learning experiences, please explore more about Arrow Accelerated Academy's philosophy and approach to learning. We offer full-time and part-time programs for families looking to do school better!

Is there any age requirement for participation?

Children ages 6-14 are invited to apply to participate in this fair. Younger siblings may assist their older siblings in their booth.

What if someone else has the same business idea?

Two cupcake businesses? Not a problem. In general, we will let market forces play out, as this is what happens to businesses in real life! We encourage each business to have a unique angle to make them stand out from others. We may let later entries know if another applicant has a similar idea so the later entrant can decide what to do.

What if I change my mind about what business I want to create?

We understand that businesses sometimes need to pivot to achieve their vision. If the details of your business change a bit after the application process, that's okay. We'll ask participants to submit updated information about their business as the fair gets closer.

If your business or product has changed dramatically or you've gone an entirely different direction with your business after you've applied, we ask that you contact us for approval.

How should my child best prepare for the fair?

Once your child is accepted as a vendor for this year's fair, you'll receive a password to access to our "Kidpreneur Portal" and "Parent Portal", both of which are full of useful pointers and essential information that you'll need to make your fair experience successful.

Arrow Accelerated Academy also offers a half day camp that takes place in the weeks leading up to the fair. The camp walks participants through the process of creating their own small business, and gives them the opportunity to prepare and practice for the fair. Think of the camp as a small-business incubator for young entrepreneurs. Learn more and register here.

Also, follow us on social media! We'll post exciting updates on our Facebook and Instagram pages, but you can also take a look at past fair photos to get a better idea of what the fair set-up looks like and see what other types of businesses have been at the fair in the past.

Can I sell food products at the fair?

Yes, but there are some limits.

First, please post a list of any common allergens included in your product at your booth.

Food that can be sold without any restrictions:

Uncut fresh fruits and vegetables
Grains, seeds, beans, and nuts (whole, unprocessed, unsprouted)
Popcorn (unpopped kernels)
Fresh herbs or dried herbs

Food that can't be sold at the fair:

Wild mushrooms
Home-canned goods (except certain jam/jelly/preserves)
Raw milk or dairy products made with raw milk
Ice cream made in an un-inspected facility
Meat, poultry, or wild game
Home vacuumed packaged products
Sandwiches prepared at home
Vinegars, syrups, flavored oils, juices, or honey made in an un-inspected facility

"Cottage Food"

A“cottage food operation” means a person who produces or packages a non-potentially hazardous food (i.e., baked goods, jellies, jams, preserves, fruit butter, dry herbs, dry herb blends, or dry tea blends intended for end-use only) in the kitchen of that person’s primary domestic residence, for direct sale by the owner or an immediate family member to the consumer, and stored in the residence where the food is made.

The cottage food operation shall register with the local health department where the operation resides;
A cottage food placard must be prominently displayed at point of sale that states: “This product was produced in a home kitchen not subject to public health inspection that may also process common food allergens.”

For more information, see this IDPH food-safety guide.

What is included in my booth space?

We will provide a 6 foot table and large covered tent for all of the vendors.

Please bring your own chairs or stools from home as well as any decor for your table (i.e. tablecloth, signage, etc.).

Unfortunately, we can't provide electricity to the tables. Please make sure your product or display does not rely on electricity to run.

A note on tablecloths: If you want your table cloth to reach all the way to the floor, you'll want a minimum of 72x144 inches. This size cloth is very large, so you may require two smaller table cloths to account for the full size. Your table cloth is an important part of your booth design, so consider it carefully!

Are there any rules regarding my booth that I need to be aware of?

Yes!

Everything you bring must fit within the bounds of your booth area without infringing on another booth's space.
Once provided to you, your booth location cannot be changed or switched with any other business.
We can not accommodate requests for specific booth locations, but we will work to place siblings' booths near each other.
Only one adult is permitted to be stationed at each booth at a time.
All your extra "stuff" (jackets, food, extra inventory etc.) must be hidden under your booth table, hidden by your table cloth.

What is the role of the Parent/Guardian on fair day?

Ensure that kidpreneurs arrive on time to the fair for set up.
Ensure kidpreneurs follow all fair rules and guidelines.
Help the kidpreneurs bring items into the venue and assist with any heavy lifting and booth set up needs.
Pack food and snacks for their kidpreneur(s) for lunch and snacks.
For businesses with just one kidpreneur, parents/guardians are asked to have an adult available to watch over their kidpreneur's booth and cash box if they need to go to the bathroom during the fair. Depending on age, they may also require an additional adult to take them.

*Parents/guardians are not to do the sales, pitching, customer interactions etc. for the kidpreneurs. This will disqualify the child's business from awards.

What is the schedule for the day?

Below is the tentative schedule for the fair. We may make changes to this schedule as the big day approaches. Final details will be sent to participants as the fair approaches.

8:30-9:00am - Arrival

9:00-9:30 - Set up

9:30am - Opening Ceremonies

9:45am - Explore other businesses

10:00 -12:30 - Fair Opens to the Public

12:30 - Awards

12:30-1:00 - Take-down/Clean-up

Do I need to arrive to the fair by a specific time?

Yes! Please arrive by 8:30 am (between 8:15-8:30 am). Booth tables that have not been accounted for by 9am will be removed and those businesses will not be able to participate in the fair.

How will I know where my booth is located?

You will be assigned a table number at check-in and be directed to the area where you can find your table.

There will be volunteers located around the space if you are having trouble finding your table or have any questions. Volunteers will be easily identifiable (we will be more specific about this closer to the fair date).

Are there any rules around how I price my product/service?

Yes! Products/services should be priced to the nearest dollar to make money exchange as simple as possible for everyone. Many of the shoppers will be children themselves and this will make it much easier for them to participate!

Do I need to bring a cash float?

Yes! Kidpreneurs must arrive to the fair prepared with a cash float of small bills and coins so you can provide change to those paying with larger bills. There won't be anywhere to get change during the event.

Kidpreneurs can also collect payments via online services such as Zelle or Venmo. Please post your username or QR code for your customers to see!

Can I use a credit card processing system?

Yes! If you have access to a credit card processing system like Square, you may use it to receive payments at the fair. This must be operated by the kidpreneur, however.

Are there prizes awarded at the fair?

Yes! All entries will be automatically entered in the business competition, and booths will be judged by fellow entrepreneurs on a variety of criteria, including most original business idea, highest business potential, and best presentation/creativity. Exact awards and prize amounts will be shared with participants the week of the fair.

Cash prizes of per category and age group (to be split among the business owners) will be presented at the conclusion of the fair.

What will happen after the fair ends?

When the fair ends, kidpreneurs will gather for our awards ceremony.

After the awards, you can begin to take down your booth, and clean your booth area (including the table and ground).

You are required to check out with a volunteer who will check your booth area and approve it before you may leave the grounds.

We will send a follow-up survey after the fair to learn more about your experience.

Will we be able to visit/tour Arrow Accelerated Academy while at the Fair?

Arrow Accelerated Academy will have a booth at the fair to answer any questions you may have about our approach to learning! We will be happy to set up a personal tour for you!