Something big is coming to Riverfest this year.

On Sunday, May 31, right in the middle of one of Wichita’s most celebrated community events, 100 child entrepreneurs are invited to step into something real. Not a simulation. Not a classroom exercise. A marketplace.

They will build businesses.
They will serve customers.
They will make decisions in real time.

And they will discover what they are capable of.

The Riverfest Children’s Business Fair, hosted by The Society of Child Entrepreneurs, is designed to give young people something they are rarely offered: the opportunity to lead before they are told they’re ready.

What This Event Really Is

This is not an art show.
This is not a school project on display.

This is a hands-on business experience where children take ownership from start to finish.

Each participant:

• Develops a product or service
• Creates a brand and pricing strategy
• Interacts directly with customers
• Handles money and makes decisions on the spot
• Reflects, adapts, and grows in real time

They are not watching entrepreneurship.
They are practicing it.

Why It Matters

We often talk about preparing kids for the future.

But leadership doesn’t start someday.
It starts the moment someone is trusted to try.

When a child runs a business, something shifts.

They learn how to speak with confidence because someone is listening.
They learn how to solve problems because something isn’t working.
They learn how to take initiative because no one else is stepping in to do it for them.

They begin to see themselves differently.

Not as someone waiting for permission.
But as someone capable of creating, contributing, and leading right now.

Why Riverfest

Riverfest is full of energy, movement, and community.

It is the perfect place for young entrepreneurs to experience what it means to show up in a real-world environment. Thousands of people. Real customers. Real conversations.

This isn’t a quiet, controlled setting.

It’s dynamic. It’s unpredictable. It’s real.

And that is exactly what makes it powerful.

What to Expect on Event Day

On May 31, the marketplace will come to life.

Booths filled with handmade products, creative services, and original ideas.
Children inviting customers in, explaining what they’ve built, and making their first sales.
Judges walking through, asking questions, and recognizing effort, creativity, and growth.

There will be excitement.
There will be nerves.
There will be moments that don’t go as planned.

And there will be growth in every single one of those moments.

A Note for Parents (And Why It Matters)

One of the most powerful aspects of this experience is that children are leading the show.

That means during the event:

• Children speak with customers
• Children handle pricing and sales
• Children make decisions in real time

Parents are absolutely part of the journey, just in a different role.

You’re invited to:

• Relax in the Parent Booth or explore Riverfest
• Stay nearby for safety if needed
• Support your child before and after the event

But during the fair, we ask parents to step back from customer interactions.

Not as a restriction, but as a gift.

Because when a child navigates a question on their own, makes a sale independently, or solves a problem without stepping aside for an adult… that’s where confidence is built.

That’s where leadership becomes real.

Who Can Participate

Children ages 6–17 are invited to apply.

They can run a business individually or as a small team of up to 3 kids.
They can bring an idea they’ve already started or something completely new.

There is no requirement to be “ready.”

That’s the point.

How to Apply

Applications are now open.

https://www.childrensbusinessfair.org/47471

We will accept up to 100 businesses for this event.

If your child has an idea, this is their chance to try.
No experience required. Just an idea and the willingness to try.

A Final Thought

We spend a lot of time asking when kids will be ready to lead.

But what if readiness isn’t something that comes first?

What if it’s something that is built through experiences like this?

The Riverfest Children’s Business Fair is more than an event.

It is a space where children step forward, take ownership, and discover that they are capable of more than they thought.

And once they see that…

It changes everything.