About 150 fans have converged on Minnesota State University in Mankato this week.
But they're not Vikings fans getting ready for training camp, which starts in two weeks.
They're fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the legendary author who wrote books on her childhood in a pioneer family. The event is called "LauraPalooza."
"It's great to have a place where we can all get together," said organizer Amy Lauters, a professor at Minnesota State Mankato. "I'm with Laura people."
The three-day conference, which started Thursday morning, is a scholarly event dedicated to the legacy of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The speakers are discussing Wilder's writings, life, even the music of her time.
Dean Butler, who played Almanzo Wilder, Laura's husband, in the TV series, "Little House on the Prairie," is attending the conference. He recently finished a documentary on Wilder, which will be shown to the group Friday night.
"It resonated for me, in terms of the values Laura wrote about," Butler said. "That has stuck with me for 31 years."
The conference is drawing people from around the country. Linda Starbuck drove five hours from Iowa and brought Ali Christensen, her niece, who lives in Texas.
"People of all ages are here," Christensen said. "I might be one of the youngest, but it's still fun."
The conference also features a spelling bee and field trip to Walnut Grove, Wilder's home.
Seats are still available to attend LauraPalooza on Friday or Saturday. Tickets cost $30 a day. More information is available at Beyond Little House, a website created by the Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association.
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