4th annual Christmas Reader’s THeater PerforMANCE!
Saturday, December 14, 2024
5PM, Midstate Theater, De Smet Event Center

You're invited to a reader's theatre and art show exhibiting Harvey Dunn's paintings of the De Smet area. This event will feature research into the farms, homes and people that he used in his paintings. These local landscapes and community members were the subjects of his prairie series.

Join us Saturday, December 14 at 5 p.m. at the De Smet Event Center Theatre. For tickets you can call the Event Center at 605-854-6060.

watch our earlier radio plays Here!

New for 2025!

The Hard Winter: Laura’s Dakota Stories

 July 11, 12, 13 • 18, 19, 20 • 25, 26, 27


Gates Open 6PM • Performance at 8PM

A new era comes to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant prairie stage!  Debuting in summer 2025, the next installment of Laura’s Dakota Stories new series of summer theatrical productions.  Join Laura and her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, as they craft Laura’s childhood memories of the founding of De Smet and homesteading with her family into the beloved Little House books. 

Held on our outdoor, prairie stage overlooking the Big Slough and cottonwood trees planted by Charles Ingalls. This prairie setting highlights the simple beauty of Laura’s stories.

Admission
$15 Adults • $10 Children ages 6-12 • Children ages 5 &under Free

No advance purchase necessary for the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant Performance in De Smet. The show does not sell out and we do not turn guests away

Planning Your Visit to De Smet

We are glad you're considering coming to De Smet for the performance.  There are other 'Laura’ sites to visit in De Smet and we have found that visitors often spend an entire day in De Smet.  Please don't hesitate to call or email if you have questions about all there is to do and see in town.  A list of attraction, lodging, and dining information is below.

800-776-3594  or 800-880-3383

Be sure to visit the helpful City of De Smet website when planning your trip.

Attractions

Lodging in De Smet

Other Area Lodging

  • Hometown Motel - 605-625-5226: located in Willow Lake, SD

  • Arlington Inn - 605-983-4609; located in Arlington, SD

  • Prairie Retreat B&B - 605-625-5085; located near Bryant, SD

Camping

Dining

  • Concessions available on our grounds beginning at 6pm

  • Oxbow Restaurant - 800-854-9988

  • Half-Pint Grill & Pub - 605-854-9129

  • Ward's Store and Bakery - 605-854-3688

  • De Smet Mercantile & Coffeehouse - (605) 860-2683

  • Dairy Queen - 605-854-9000

  • Wheatie's Sports Bar - 605-854-3715

  • Klinkel’s III - 605-854-9171

  • Cowboy Country Store - 605-854-3553

  • The Main Stop - 605-854-3200

  • Maynard's Grocery - 605-854-3432

Pageant History

1951   Families gathered around their radios to listen to the Hallmark Playhouse presentation of "The Long Winter." If this sounds like something you’d enjoy, you can still find it here!

1955   After receiving permission from Hallmark Playhouse to use its script, local actors performed "The Long Winter" in the high school auditorium at no charge to the public.

1968   As part of the summer arts festival, local actors once again performed "The Long Winter" in the high school auditorium. People poured in, and extra chairs were brought in from the Lutheran Church, and still more people continued to come in.

1971   Encouraged by the overwhelming response to the 1968 production, a group of local volunteers developed plans for the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant, an outdoors family drama to celebrate the life and writings of our home town author. Several local civic organizations-- the Kiwanis, Jaycees, and Chamber of Commerce assisted in the production.

1973   The Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant Society was founded, a non-profit organization committed to the preservation of Laura's legacy.

1974   The LIW Pageant Society purchased thirty acres of land to become the pageant's permanent home. This beautiful section of land is nestled between the Ingalls Homestead, the big slough, and Silver Lake.

Over the years, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant has become a local tradition. Each summer more than a hundred volunteers combine their talents to present a family-friendly drama based on the writings of Laura Ingalls Wilder. People from all over the world gather together on the beautiful South Dakota prairie and step back into history to a time when the West was just opening up to a wave of pioneering men and women. It is our goal to preserve--through drama--the family values and pioneering spirit of the Ingalls family.

Get Involved!

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant thrives because of the generous time and talent of many individuals. If you are interested in getting involved, we’d love to have you help. Contact us here, or reach out to use on social media.

ACTORS & TECHNICAL CREW

We are always on the look out for actors and technical help. Auditions are generally held in late April or early May. We place announcements here, on our website, via our social media channels, and in regional newspapers and on radio stations.

VOLUNTEERS

Looking to be involved in the pageant, but not comfortable with the acting or tech duties? Hosting visitors from around the world every summer requires a many helping hands. If you are interested, we are always excited to find volunteers to help greet visitors, hand out programs, help in the concession stand, register visitors for our book giveaways, and park cars to name a few duties. Reach out to use via phone, email, or on social media and we’ll be in touch!

Our organization

For over 50 years, we have worked to share Laura Ingalls Wilder’s stories and history with visitors from around the world. The Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was formed in 1971. Our Board of Directors includes Kristy Hubbard (President), Jim Pekron (Vice President), Jenny Todd (Secretary), Eric Fairchild (Treasurer), Snookie Stoddard, Susan Thomas, Kathy Ostrander, Dedra Birzer, and Megan Ostrander, with honorary board members Curt Bau, Tim Sullivan, and Marian Cramer.
Our financial information is available for review at the following links. 2022 990

Contact Us

PHONE

We are a small non-profit organization.  The Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society and the Ingalls Homestead graciously field phone calls for us.  They can answer any questions you have about attending the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant or visiting the De Smet area.  

Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society - 800-880-3383

Ingalls Homestead - 800-776-3594

MAIL

Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant Society
PO Box 154
De Smet, SD   57231

EMAIL

Email us directly or use the form below.  

desmetpageant [@] gmail.com

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Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant

THEATER ON THE PRAIRIE × DE SMET, SOUTH DAKOTA
A COMMUNITY TRADITION SINCE 1971