DE SMET, S.D.(Press Release)- The Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant in De Smet has big plans for its 50th anniversary.

Three weekends of activities are planned starting Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The pageant continues July 16-18 and July 23-25.

Activities include authors, artists, actors, lectures and a performance by the indigenous group Brule’.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, a market with artisans and vendors will be open at the event center in De Smet. Also at the event center is a presentation at 11 a.m. titled “How the Hard Winter became the Long Winter,” followed by an author’s panel discussion at 1 p.m. and an author’s reception at 3 p.m.

The big event of the day on July 17 is a the Brule’ concert at 4 p.m. at the event center.

Actors Dean Butler and Alison Arngrim will be at the pageant for the final weekend. Butler played Almanzo Wilder and Arngrim played Nellie Oleson on the TV show “Little House on the Prairie.”

On July 23, they will sign autographs at event center at 11 a.m. There is a “Little House” scenes auction and reading at 3 p.m. And there will be photo opportunities at the pageant grounds at 5:30 p.m.

At 9 a.m July 25 at he pageant grounds, Butler and Arngrim will read “Little House” stories. And at 3 p.m., Arngrim will present a one-woman comedy show at the event center.

Tickets to the Brule’ concert and Arngrim’s comedy show are available online at Eventbrite.com. Search for Brule’ and Alison Arngrim.

The event center is in De Smet, and the pageant grounds are a mile east of town.

For more information, call 800-776-3594 or 800-880-3383, email desmetpageant@gmail.com or visit desmetpageant.org.