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A local stonemason has created a bespoke stone carving to mark the arrival of Summer’s End Angus, as anticipation builds ahead of the festival’s full lineup announcement later this month.

The piece was created by Alistair Anderson of Anderson Stone, who said the project was a personal way to support a major new cultural event taking place on his doorstep.

“I love carving, and even in my free time I’ll head into the shed and work on whatever takes my fancy,” said Alistair.

“I’ve always gone to music festivals – my first was Glastonbury in 1990, which is also when I started stonework. Having a music festival right on our doorstep is such a great thing, and I wanted to support it in any way I could. Creating this piece felt like a good way to do that, and I really hope the festival will be here for many years to come.”

He added that the carving also allowed him to try a new technique.

“For this piece, I saw it as a great opportunity to practise relief lettering, something I hadn’t tried before, where the letters are carved so they stand out from the background.”

Festival director Katrina Hutchinson-O’Neill said the gesture captured exactly what the organisers hope Summer’s End Angus will become.

“What Alistair has created is incredibly special,” she said. “Summer’s End Angus is about more than just a weekend of music- it’s about putting down roots, celebrating place, and building something that belongs to the community. To have a local craftsperson choose to mark the festival in stone, of his own accord, is genuinely moving and speaks volumes about the support we’re feeling locally.”

The carving, which will take pride of place on display at the Festival Office on Brechin High Street and will also be put on display at the festival itself in August, comes as the event prepares to unveil its full lineup imminently, with several major acts already confirmed and further announcements expected over the next two weeks.

Organisers say the response and support so far – from artists, audiences. local businesses, and wider groups like Angus Alive & Visit Angus alike – has been strong, with tickets continuing to sell quickly ahead of the main launch. The Friday night opening party, headlined by Tide Lines, is already sold out.

“This festival is being built for the long term,” added Hutchinson-O’Neill. “Seeing that reflected back to us by people like Alistair gives us even more confidence that Summer’s End Angus can become a fixture in the Scottish cultural calendar for years to come.”