Young Entrepreneurs Take Over the Bentonville Square at Kids Rule

Forget lemonade stands on the corner. Downtown Bentonville is handing kids the keys to the Square for a day, and they’re not wasting it. Kids Rule is a kid-powered marketplace and activity event that puts young entrepreneurs front and center, with the whole afternoon built around what happens when you give children a real stage and get out of the way.

THE DEETS

Open for Business

You’ll find the Square taken over by kid-run booths for the afternoon, each one stocked with handmade goods, crafts, treats, and other creations young vendors made themselves. Local kid-centric businesses will also be on hand with interactive experiences, plus entertainment, activities, and special programming running throughout the day.

If you’ve got a young entrepreneur of your own, or a kid-centric business looking to set up shop, applications are open for both. Keep in mind that submitting an application doesn’t guarantee a spot, as participants are selected based on variety, space availability, and overall event balance.

Worth the Walk Over

Watch any nine-year-old count out change for a friendship bracelet and you’ll see more business seriousness than you get from most adults twice their age. There’s something genuinely fun about cheering on a kid running their first real business. You can wander Main Street, shop a few booths, and watch a bunch of kids figure out what running one actually takes.

Bring cash for the booths. A kid making their first sale is worth sticking around for.