Warm up those muscles and hit the airport tarmac: The annual Dulles Day Festival and Plane Pull returns to Dulles International Airport on Sept. 14, where teams of 25 will compete to pull an 82-ton plane as fast as they can across 12 feet.
Presented by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and United Airlines, the event also features family-friendly activities, a 5K/10K race and an airplane show, with money raised going to Special Olympics Virginia. The event has raised over $2,000,000 for the organization since its inception 27 years ago.
Teams participating in the plane pull must raise $2,500 in donations to qualify for the event. Awards for the plane pull competition include fastest pull, heaviest team, most money raised and more. Along with the adults’ plane pull, there are also kids’ pull competitions throughout the day. Kids’ teams compete to see who can pull a big red dump truck 12 feet the fastest. There will also be a Kids’ Zone at the festival with a bounce house, games, music and a dunk tank.
The day will begin with the Run the Runway 5K/10K race. Dulles Airport’s runway is shut down for an early-morning run where 2,500 runners will participate.
For those who don’t want to run or pull a plane, there will also be air and car shows, offering up-close tours of military, vintage and modern aircrafts. Pilots will also be available to discuss the machinery, and guests will have the opportunity to climb into cockpits, as well. There will also be classic cars, trucks and motorcycles on display.
Food vendors, games, exhibition and live music will also be highlights of the festival. Free parking will be provided for race participants by the National Air and Space Museum, in the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center parking lot. It will open at 5:45 a.m. and will close at 8 a.m. Free parking will also be available for all visitors and participants. The easiest way to access the free lot is by using the Dulles Airport Access toll road. Upon arrival, a free shuttle will take guests directly to the main entry gate. The last bus from the parking lot will leave at 3 p.m.
For more information, visit planepull.com. // Dulles International Airport: 1 Saarinen Circle, Dulles; $40 for 5K race, $50 for 10K race, $2,500 raised required for adult plane pull participation, $10 kids’ truck pull, air and car show free
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