Dulles Day is coming in for a landing this Saturday (Sept. 13).
The annual Special Olympics Virginia fundraiser will return to Dulles International Airport for a 34th year with a variety of activities, including the signature Dulles Plane Pull organized by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) Police Department.
Like in previous years, more than 12,000 people are expected to attend the festival, prompting MWAA to warn travelers that they might encounter more traffic than usual.
“Passengers flying out that date are advised to expect heavier traffic than usual on airport roads and in parking lots,” MWAA said in a media advisory. “For a smoother trip, airport passengers and visitors can take Metrorail to avoid delays and congestion.”
The free festival will take over a portion of the 17-acre airfield site just west of the Fairfax County line from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Starting around 11 a.m., 25-person teams will compete to see who’s quickest at pulling an 82-ton airplane across a 12-foot distance. This year’s plane pull will feature a cargo plane supplied by FedEx as well as a United Airlines passenger jet.
Since it was first held in 1992 by the MWAA Police, the plane pull has raised nearly $6.6 million to help more than 20,000 Virginian athletes involved in the Special Olympics.
Registration for the 2025 event remains open through Special Olympics Virginia’s website. As of yesterday afternoon (Wednesday), participants had raised $345,667, getting the nonprofit more than halfway to its $600,000 goal. Though registration is free, each team must raise at least $2,500 to take part in the actual plane pull.
For attendees not interested in testing their strength by lugging an aircraft, Dulles Day will still offer plenty of diversions, from food and live entertainment to fire truck rides, airplane displays and more. From the event page:
The event’s activities include:
- Fire truck and mobile lounge rides (with cash donation)
- Music performances
- Kids truck pull (with cash donation) and play area
- Classic car show
- Static Aircraft displays
- The famous Dulles Day Plane Pull
- Equipment Displays By Airports Authority Police, Fire and Rescue
- Community Exhibitors including food and beverage
The aircraft static display will include:
- Bi-wing aircraft (5)
- Corsair FG-1D
- Cessna Sky Wagon Floatplane
- Remos Light Sport
- Cessna 172
- F-24
- TBM
- PT-19
- L-5
- Fuji
- T-6
- L-39
- C-17 (2)
- F-16
- T-6A Texan II (2)
