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Children’s Entrepreneur Market to debut in Fountain; organizers seek venues and outreach
Summary
Children’s Entrepreneur Market manager Harmony Williams briefed council on a kids’ market at Fountain Mesa Park on June 28; organizers require event venues, local marketing and described registration rules, age range, and scholarship support.
Harmony Williams, Colorado Springs market manager for the Children’s Entrepreneur Market nonprofit, told the City Council on June 17 that the organization will hold its first Fountain market on June 28 at Fountain Mesa Park during youth soccer activities.
Williams described the nonprofit’s model: children ages 5 to 17 may rent a 10‑by‑10 booth for $25, which includes a T‑shirt, a free book and an emailed entrepreneurship curriculum. She said the organization attaches markets to existing events that provide foot traffic, provides insurance and staff, and requires canopies be weighed (no stakes), that trash be carried out, and that there be no bartering to protect participating children.
Why it matters: the program gives children direct small‑business experience, and Williams told council organizers also offer scholarships and parent resources. "We are a nonprofit and we're trying to turn around and pump any money back into these kids that we possibly can," she said, noting the national operation had given $75,000 in scholarships the prior year.
Details residents and council heard: Williams said the market requires roughly 500 people of expected foot traffic at the host event; typical registration is $25 per booth; curriculum content is provided and parents are asked to step back after setup to allow children to operate their booths. She also said the organization relies on venues and city marketing help to recruit Fountain children as vendors and that it will participate in Fountain’s Labor Day fall festival as well.
A councilmember asked whether items must be handmade; Williams said items may vary but the program discourages unregulated food sales (no raw meat) and encourages children to be involved in making items. She also cited Colorado’s 2019 limited lemonade‑stand law signed by Gov. Polis, which allows short‑term child sales without permits.
Ending: Williams asked the city to continue providing park venues and marketing support to recruit Fountain participants; no council action was required.
