First Ditch
Marginal’s signature fly-in held annually on the first weekend of June. We throw and partner up with several events throughout the year but this is our organization’s Super Bowl. (The Daytona 500 may be a more appropriate comparison.)
First Ditch 2024
- May 30 - June 2, 2024
- Le Sueur Municipal Airport (12Y)
- Members-Only Event
- Welcome BBQ that Thursday
Registration: Free, members only
What’s included? Donation-based meals are provided throughout the weekend as are bathrooms, showers, and transportation.
Check back in the spring to register and view the itinerary and operations guide sheet.
What to Expect
At First Ditch you can expect a weekend-long, laid back atmosphere with a sky full of some of the finest, rarest, and most historic examples of flying antique/classic and homebuilt airplanes in existence. Formation flying and ride-hopping until sundown is quite common. “Hangar flying” after sundown is definitely common.
Most of our membership and fly-in attendance base is either young, or very young at heart. To give you an idea, in 2023 we had 111 airplanes from 18 states attend, 40% of which were either owned or flown in by pilots younger than 45 years of age. This was over 4x the size of our first, First Ditch in 2014.
Our members only fly-in is free to attend.
From Last to First
The History of First Ditch
First Ditch was initially conceived in 2014 as a derivative of what used to be our annual fly-in in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, Last Ditch. When we decided we wanted to host fly-ins again, we decided the fall season was already full of great events we didn’t want to force people to decide between, while having a giant void in the spring and early summer. Therefore, our “Ditch” event was moved to the first full weekend in June, annually held in Le Sueur, Minnesota.
First Ditch FAQ
It is a revival of the fly-in that was formerly known as the Last Ditch. It is a fun way for old airplane enthusiasts to get together for an entire weekend to start the fly-in season.
Our members-only fly-in is free to attend. Donation-based meals are provided throughout the fly-in, as are bathrooms, showers, and transportation.
Early arrivals on Thursday night will be treated to a cook out.
Breakfast – Waffles, fruit, yogurt, English muffins, toast, coffee, and juice in the mornings.
Lunch on Friday will be hot and cold sandwiches and chips.
Friday night is pizza night.
Saturday lunch-dinner starts the all-day and night grazing on pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs, potatoes, green bean hot dish, assorted salads, cookies, chips, dips, bars. There will be PLENTY of food for all to get through the weekend.
*All meals are served on a donation-only basis*
There is a Subway, Pizza Ranch, a grocery store, and several bars in Le Sueur (a two minute drive).
There will be water, lemonade, pop, some beer, some wine, and some spirits provided. Also, a liquor store is within a half mile.
Yes, you can pitch your tent or bring a camper. For motor homes/campers – be aware the ground may be soft and you will have to park on a black top area. PLEASE check in at the Frost hangar (#8) for instructions on parking motor homes/campers. If you choose not to camp and are flying in, there will be plenty of vehicles available to get you to and from your hotel.
Valu Stay Inn Le Sueur
510 N Main Street, Le Sueur, MN 56058
Reservations: [507] 665-6246
AmericInn by Wyndham St. Peter
700 North Minnesota Ave., St. Peter, MN 56082
Reservations: [507] 931-6554
HomeTown Inn & Suites
331 Enterprise Drive East, Belle Plaine, MN 56011
Reservations: [952] 873-6017
Still have questions?
Contact us and we will get back with you as soon as possible.