De Smet to Host Documentary and Cast from Little House on the Prairie Television Show July 11-13

For Immediate Release
De Smet, South Dakota, June 17, 2025  

The Little Town on the Prairie is welcoming Little House on the Prairie television show cast members for a weekend of special events and screenings of the new documentary Little House Homecoming on July 11, 12 and 13.  We will be joined by Dean Butler, Wendi Lou Lee, and Charlotte Stewart, who all brought Laura Ingalls Wilder’s stories and spirit to life through their acting on television the show.  Fans will have a chance to meet the actors, attend screenings of the documentary, get autographs, listen to panel discussions and book readings, and attend a special Sunday Luncheon. 

“We are thrilled to welcome the cast and share screenings of Little House Homecoming in De Smet!” Ann Lesch of the Ingalls Homestead shared.  “Seeing the enthusiasm for all-things-Laura, from this new documentary to the Laurapalooza conference in Sioux Falls this July, the forthcoming streaming adaptation of of Little House on the Prairie, to the visitors we welcome to town and our surrounding landscape every day, shows the lasting impact of Laura’s stories and how important this cultural heritage is to our community.”  

Little House Homecoming, directed by Jonathan Parker, is more than a feature-length documentary.  It is a love letter to all things Laura Ingalls Wilder, her beloved books and the Little House on the Prairie Television show that brought the books to life 50 years ago.  Screenings of the documentary will be held on Friday & Saturday, July 11 and 12 at 4pm and Sunday, July 13 at 1pm at the De Smet Event & Wellness Center Midstate Theater. Butler, Stewart and Lee, each of whom appear in the documentary, will join the director for a panel discussion following each of the screenings.  

Butler, who portrayed Almanzo Wilder; Lee who portrayed Grace Ingalls; and Stewart, who portrayed Ms. Beadle will make appearances around De Smet through the weekend.  They will be at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant on July 11 and 12, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society on July 11 and the Ingalls Homestead on July 12.  A special Sunday Luncheon will be held with the Little House television actors on July 13 followed by a screening of the documentary.

Tickets are available for purchase and a full schedule of events can be found at www.desmetpageat.org/homecoming.  

For media inquiries:
De Smet Contacts -
Jamie Lancaster 805-540-0919
Ann Lesch 605-854-3123
visit@desmetsd.com
Contact info for Dean Butler and Wendi Lou Lee available upon request.