A crowd of 10,000 people and blue skies are expected to welcome the world-famous Red Arrows to Arbroath on Saturday.
The acrobatic team’s display will be the highlight of the first-ever Arbroath Festival of Heroes at the town’s Victoria Park.
A Royal Air Force Typhoon will officially open the festival at 11am and signal the start of the Armed Forces and Emergency Services Parade.
The programme will also feature a capability display from the army, a Battle of Britain memorial flight, the Condor Military Wives Choir and Masterchef winner Jamie Scott in a mystery box challenge.
Event chairman Jamie Buchan said: “It is just a matter of days now until Arbroath’s Festival of Heroes gets under way with an RAF Typhoon FGR4 hitting the burners to start off our parade and the sun gods appear to be smiling upon us with a bright and dry weather forecast.
“Arbroath’s Festival of Heroes has been fully funded by sponsorship and grants.
“This is not an armed forces event organised by the armed forces – this is a community’s desire to say thank you to our armed forces and emergency services for the commitment they give to country, county and community.
“Our event features an army capability display, the largest public display in over a decade which will simulate an Afghanistan-style scenario.
“We also have a fly past from a Dakota and the Red Arrows as one of only three Scottish displays this year as well as many other highlights.
“We’ll also be unveiling the overall winners of our Local Hero awards where we have set out to uncover the hidden heroes in our community.”
The event is free to the public and is a joint collaboration between the members of the previously staged Armed Forces and Emergency Services Parade and Arbroath Round Table.
A free park and ride system is being set up capable of moving 280 people every 15 minutes.
Official Festival of Heroes park and ride car parks can be found along the waterfront near to Gayfield.
Lieutenant Dale Martin, Royal Marines, Officer Commanding 10 Troop, Zulu Company said: “The past year has been a busy one for 45 Commando as up until recently we have been the Lead Commando Unit, the UK’s rapid response capability to any military or humanitarian crisis, maintained at high-readiness to deploy anywhere in the world.
“Saturday will be a great opportunity for us to meet our local community and pay thanks for the support they have given us in this past year.”
