When is the conference?
LauraPalooza 2012 will take place Thursday-Saturday, July 12-14, 2012.
What will the programming be for the conference?
Prospective presenters will be notified whether they are accepted on February 7, and we will share the programming for the conference as soon as possible thereafter.
When does registration open?
Registration opens here for members of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association on Laura’s birthday, February 7, 2012. It opens for the general public on February 21, 2012.
How long will registration last?
Registration will last until May 31, 2012. Registrations after that will be subject to a late fee.
What is the registration fee?
The registration fee is $125 per person. LIWLRA members get 10 percent off this fee, bringing it to $112.50. (Non-members have the option of joining when registration begins for them.)
What’s included in the registration fee?
The registration fee includes:
- all panels and presentations;
- refreshments for breaks (snacks, water, coffee);
- a viewing of a documentary of the making of a PBS pledge special featuring Laura’s “Little House” music, courtesy of special guests Dean Butler and Dale Cockrell;
- Wednesday night pre-conference ice cream social;
- authors’ reception where guests can get their books autographed;
- Friday night performance of Alison Arngrim’s one-woman show, “Confessions of a Prairie …” or parallel children’s program;
- a Saturday Spelling Bee.
Meals are not included as part of the registration fee.
What is Camp Laura and can I attend that instead of the conference?
Camp Laura is our alternate programming exclusively for children entering grades K-6. Read our Camp Laura FAQ for more information.
What are the lodging options?
Registrants can stay either on campus in the dorms (which is very much no-frills, dorm style) or in a nearby hotel. The AmericInn (closest to campus, about three blocks away) and the Microtel Inn and Suites (driving necessary) are both offering special conference rates. Wednesday and Thursday nights at the AmericInn are $69.99 for a single and $79.99 for a double. Friday and Saturday nights are $89.99 and $99.99, respectively. Microtel rooms are $60 doubles. Use code “LauraPalooza.”
What is the dorm housing fee?
The dorm housing fee is $150 per person (based on double occupancy) and $170 per person (based on single occupancy) for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights. (The conference starts Thursday morning and ends early Saturday afternoon.) Saturday-night lodging is available as an option for $20.
What’s included in the dorm housing fee?
Besides lodging, the dorm housing fee includes meals in the dining hall from Thursday breakfast to Saturday breakfast. Optional Saturday-night lodging includes Sunday breakfast.
Where do we eat?
Special conference meals (Laura’s Legacy Luncheon, Friday Box Lunch Social, and the Spelling Bee Lunch) will be in the conference ballroom. Other meals may be eaten in the dining hall (within walking distance of the conference site) or in a local restaurant.
How do we pay for meals?
Those opting to stay in the dorms have all their meals (dining hall and special conference meals) included in the lodging package. If you stay in a hotel, you may eat in the dining hall for a per-meal fee of about $6.50.
Is there a meal plan available for guests staying at hotels?
Unfortunately, no.
How and when will we get confirmation that we’ve registered for the conference?
You can opt for either email or snail-mail confirmation of at the time you send in your registration. We will confirm your registration as soon as we receive payment.
Will transportation be provided to Walnut Grove on Saturday?
Yes. We are reserving a coach bus to take people there, leaving after the Spelling Bee Lunch and returning after the pageant performance that night. The bus will be filled on a first-come-first-served basis at a per-person cost of $20.
Do you have to be approved to attend the conference?
Not at all. It’s open to anyone who wants to attend.
Do you have to be a certain age to attend the conference?
There is no official age minimum. The academic nature dictates that it is not suitable for kids, but mature teenagers who are ardent fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder will probably enjoy it. For younger kids (kindergarten through sixth grade), we will be offering Camp Laura, spearheaded by LIWLRA board member Rebecca Brammer.
I can’t attend all three days. Are per-day rates available for anyone who cannot attend all three days?
We will sell only full conference registrations until May 31. If there are any seats available after the deadline of May 31, 2012, those seats will be offered on a per-day basis. The daily fee will be announced at a later date and does not include any meals.
Do you have to be a certain age to join the Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy and Research Association?
There’s no age limit or requirements to be a member, other than to pay dues. Members get discounts on any LIWLRA merchandise and priority registration for conferences. Dues go to supporting the work of the organization, which is to support the research of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her legacy and the maintenance of Little House homesites.
How do I get from the airport to Mankato?
If you fly into the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, you’ll want to either rent a car to drive the hour to Mankato, or work with Land-to-Air Express to get transportation to Mankato.
How do I get around Mankato?
The campus is the hub of Mankato, which is a college town. City buses run from campus out to all parts of the city regularly. For more information about the city, go here.
How close is the University to everywhere I’ll need to go?
Nearly everything you’ll need is within walking distance from the campus. The AmericInn, the more expensive of the two hotels where we’ll hold a block of rooms, is about two blocks from campus, and three from the Student Union, where most events will be held. The Microtel is about five miles campus.
Do you offer vendor tables at the conference?
Yes, vendor tables are $35. Contact us via the form at the bottom of this page for guidelines and a registration form.
Who can be a vendor at the conference?
Anyone whose wares emphasize items that directly relate to Laura Ingalls Wilder, Rose Wilder Lane, or the Little House sites is eligible to rent a vendor table, though space is limited.
What’s the cell phone coverage like?
Most cell service works well on campus, which is on top of a bluff. The only carrier that seems to have some trouble is AT &T and that’s only inside the dorm.
Will wireless Internet access be available this time?
We had a lot of issues with wireless at the last conference, and as a result we pledge to make sure wireless works seamlessly both in the dorms and at the conference site.
When will the final schedule be posted?
The final schedule will be posted at a date closer to the conference, which is still to be determined.
Got a question we haven’t addressed? Email us (beyondlittlehouse AT gmail DOT com) or complete the form below:
Hello,
You may have already answered this and I just missed it..thanks for responding.
Q. What happens if I register now and discover that I can not attend for some reason? Will I loose my entire registration fee? What is the cancellation policy with the hotels?
Thanks for the information.
Patty:)
The hotels all have their own cancellation policies. Most have a 24-hour policy (meaning you can cancel up until the day before) but verify when you make your reservation. As for canceling on the conference, I am not sure how that will be handled and will wait for Amy Lauters, conference chair, to address it.
Patty, as long as you cancel your registration before our drop date–May 31–you can receive a full refund. After that date, you’re included in our counts for facilities and food, and we must pay for you whether you’re present or not, so there can be no refunds.