A giant bull sculpture which has become an international celebrity in recent months will be on hand to welcome festival-goers in Sanquhar this weekend.
Named after the parish of Kelton, the artwork, which depicts a monstrous one-tonne wicker Beltie bull, became a global celebrity when he represented Dumfries and Galloway at the recent Royal Highland Showcase at the Royal Highland Showground in Edinburgh.
After featuring in newspapers, magazines, TV and live streams the world over, the three-metre tall animal will now be apart of this week's two-day Music at the Multiverse festival at Crawick Multiverse for a weekend of everything from rock and reggae to folk and trad.
Cathy Agnew, Crawick Multiverse Trust (CMT) trustee, said: “We’ve got a wonderful weekend of live music lined up with plenty of room to social distance in the 55-acre site that is the Multiverse.
"And it’s terrific that Kelton the Beltie is able to visit Upper Nithsdale and the Sanqhuar Arts Festival as part of his Homecoming Tour.”
The weekend’s events will take place in the glorious Sun Amphitheatre. Saturday will be dedicated to the contemporary sounds of The Dangleberries, Lucky Doves, Pedro and the Pirates, Tom Spirals and Fathers Medicine.
On Sunday, the festival welcomes Smith & McClennan, Claudia Wood (with pianist Katharine Durran), Flew the Arrow and Wendy Stewart.
Claudia Wood, who is originally from Sanquhar and still has family in the town, will be singing popular songs from operas and musical shows such as Carmen and Phantom of the Opera.
The event is part of the Sanquhar Arts Festival and is also exploring Crawick’s potential as an outdoor venue in easy reach of central and southern Scotland and Cumbria.
Caroline McMillan, CMT trustee, added: “I'm lucky enough to live very close to Crawick Multiverse and have enjoyed visiting since it opened in 2015.
"It's a fantastic place to spend time with family and friends of all ages and perfect for meeting up to walk the dog or enjoy a picnic.
“We want the Multiverse to be a place that visitors and the local community can enjoy in many different ways and hope to bring more outdoor events and festivals in the future.”
The artwork, which was created by willow artist Trevor Leat, who is well-known for making huge willow figures for the Wickerman Festivals, will be at the Multiverse until September 1.
The huge bull took three weeks to build and is made from willow grown by Trevor in Scotland, specifically 22 bundles of willow, each weighing 18kg.
For more on the festival, which runs from August 28-29, click here.
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