2024 Schedule of Events
July 5 · 6 · 7
Pageant Performance each night at 8pm, Gates open at 6pm
Live music each night before the show!
FRIDAY, JULY 5
On the Pageant Grounds
-Oak Lake String Band, 6:30PM
SATURDAY, JULY 6
At the De Smet Cemetery
-Cemetery Tour, 3PM
On the Pageant Grounds
- Fiddlers of South Dakota, musical performance, 6:30PM
SUNDAY, JULY 7
At the American Legion Hall (104 3rd St SW)
-Pancake Feed hosted by the American Legion, 9AM-1PM
On the Pageant Grounds
-Non-denominational Sunday Service, 10AM
-Oak Lake String Band, 6:30PM
July 12 ·13 · 14
Pageant Performance each night at 8pm, Gates open at 6pm
Live music each night before the show!
ON THE PAGE & STAGE: WRITING LAURA’S HISTORY
Celebrate our new script and show for 2024 with special events on July 12 & 13 to celebrate writers, authors, researchers, and historians who make sharing Laura’s history and South Dakota heritage possible. Event flyer available here.
FRIDAY, JULY 12
De Smet’s Hazel L. Meyer Memorial Library, on Calumet Ave, next to Depot Museum
-PAGE & STAGE POETRY WORKSHOP, 3PM
If you love words and literature, come create your own work using Laura’s words. Led by Cindy Wilson, this simple, fun workshop is open to children and adults.
On the Pageant Grounds
-OLD-FASHIONED CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES WITH JULIE FRANCES MILLER, 6PM-8PM
Join in the old-fashioned children's activities before the pageant every night this weekend from 6-8 p.m.
-VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Cheryl Palmlund, will be recognized for her years of service to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant. Find out more about Cheryl in our pageant program or at the Kingsbury Journal newspaper.
-Curtis & Loretta, Folk Music Duo, 6:30PM
Funding for Curtis & Loretta in part by the SD Arts Council. South Dakota Arts Council support is provided with funds from the State of South Dakota, through the Department of Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
SATURDAY, JULY 13
ON THE PAGE & STAGE
9:30am - 3PM Join us to celebrate writing, research, and history! All of the following events will take place at the De Smet Event & Wellness Center.
Featured Guests & Presentations
-CINDY WILSON, 9:30AM, “The Railroad and the Ingalls Family: from Tracy to De Smet”
Cindy Wilson is the author of two books: newly released, We Suffered Much: Charles Wood Irish and the Dakota Territory Railroad Survey of 1879-1881 and The Beautiful Snow: The Ingalls Family, The Railroads, and the Hard Winter of 1880-1881 released in 2020. We Suffered Much was recently selected as the winner in the Regional Non-Fiction: Midwest category by the National Indie Excellence Awards (NIEA). Like many others, Cindy fell in love with the Little House books in third grade, The Long Winter being her favorite. Cindy is passionate about history and enchanted by the prairie landscape.
-RICK MILLS, 10:30AM, “Little Trains Across the Prairie - 1879 to 2024”
Rick has been sharing his knowledge and love of South Dakota railroad history for over 40 years. Rick serves as the Curator and Museum Director, and is a founder of the South Dakota State Railroad Museum located in Hill City, S.D. If you are headed west on your vacation, we highly recommend a visit!
-NANCY TYSTAD KOUPAL, 11:30AM, “Laura Ingalls Wilder and Rose Wilder Lane on the Path into Fiction”
Nancy is the director and editor-in-chief of the Pioneer Girl Project, which allows millions of people to better understand the origin and development of Laura’s books. Nancy founded the South Dakota State Historical Society Press in 1997 served as director until 2021. Her efforts built the press into a respected, award-winning, publisher showcasing South Dakota history.
SOUTH DAKOTA AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT, 12:30-2:00PM
Meet authors and writers from South Dakota! These authors have diverse backgrounds and stories to tell. They want to share their books and experience with you!
We will be joined by De Ann Wolkow Kruempel, Richard Skorupski, Brenda DeHaan, Lee Friesen, Christina Schepker-Pikul, Heidi Herman, Brad Tennant, Marie Cleveland, David W. Fields, and James Jesser. To read a bit more about each of these authors, download our flyer here.
ON THE PAGE & STAGE Q&A with featured guests, 2:00PM-3:00PM
Join us at 2:00pm on July 13 for a discussion moderated by South Dakota State Historical Society Press Director, Dedra Birzer Our featured guests will share their perspectives writing and presenting history in books, theater, and museums.
-GOGO Burritos, 11AM
Grab a bite from GOGO Burritos Food Truck! They will be at the De Smet Event & Wellness Center for lunch and at the pageant grounds for dinner.’
At the De Smet Cemetery
-Cemetery Tour, 3PM
On the Pageant Grounds
-OLD-FASHIONED CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES WITH JULIE FRANCES MILLER, 6PM-8PM
Join in the old fashioned children's activities before the pageant every night this weekend from 6-8 p.m.
- Fiddlers of South Dakota, musical performance, 6:30PM
SUNDAY, JULY 14
At the American Legion Hall (104 3rd St SW)
-Pancake Feed hosted by the De Smet Community Women, 9AM-1PM
On the Pageant Grounds
-Non-denominational Sunday Service, 10AM
-OLD-FASHIONED CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES WITH JULIE FRANCES MILLER, 6PM-8PM
Join in the old fashioned children's activities before the pageant every night this weekend from 6-8 p.m.
- Fiddlers of South Dakota, musical performance, 6:30PM
July 19 ·20 · 21
Pageant Performance each night at 8pm, Gates open at 6pm
Live music each night before the show!
FRIDAY, JULY 19
On the Pageant Grounds
-Phil Baker, Children’s Musician & Entertainer, 6:30PM
Funding for Phil Baker in part by the SD Arts Council. South Dakota Arts Council support is provided with funds from the State of South Dakota, through the Department of Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
SATURDAY, JULY 20
At the De Smet Cemetery
-Cemetery Tour, 3PM
On the Pageant Grounds
-Old FashionMed Children’s Activities 6PM - 8P
-Plum Crazy musical guests perform prior to the show 6:30PM
SUNDAY, JULY 21
At the American Legion Hall (104 3rd St SW)
-Pancake Feed hosted by De Smet & Iroquois/Lake Preston High School Clay Target Team, 9AM-1PM
On the Pageant Grounds
-Non-denominational Sunday Service, 10AM
-Plum Crazy musical guests perform prior to the show 6:30PM
This schedule is subject to change. Please check back or contact us for updates. A friendly reminder that we do not allow recording, taping, videoing, or live broadcasting of the pageant performance.
