Kids can get the chance to test out their entrepreneurial spirit this year at the Vancouver Farmers Market’s Junior Market.
The Junior Market, which is a partnership with the Greater Vancouver Chamber, will allow kids to have a free booth at the farmers market from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 4. The program is open to kids ages 8 to 16 years old who want to sell their homemade or homegrown goods.
“It’s never too early to learn basic business fundamentals,” said Janet Kenefsky, vice president of operations at the chamber and city director of Lemonade Day Greater Vancouver, in a statement to the press. “We are excited to work with the Vancouver Farmers Market to continue empowering our kids to become tomorrow’s entrepreneurs.”
Youth are encouraged to use the free My Lemonade Day app, which will walk them through setting goals, creating a business plan, running their market stand and preparing them for how to raise their start-up costs. Lemonade Day is an international program encouraging entrepreneurship in children.
Stephanie Haynes, partnerships and programs manager at the Vancouver Farmers Market, said the market is excited to “level up opportunities for young entrepreneurs in our community.
“While we have offered a Kids Market in past years for children to sell items they have created, this partnership takes it one step further and allows kids to create their own business plan and prepare to run their stand through the free My Lemonade Day app,” she said.
Haynes said the market is looking forward to expanding its programming to support youth entrepreneurs.
Kids will also have the chance to apply for local micro-loans, meet community stakeholders and compete nationally.
Those interested in applying can visit yourchamber.typeform.com/JuniorMarket.