4/23/2006 5:47 PM
By: Kate Barker, News 14 Carolina

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. More than a thousand people of Scottish heritage gathered at the Rural Hill Farm in Huntersville for a weekend of traditional Scottish-American events.

The Loch Norman Highland Games, which brings together Scottish-American clans from throughout the Carolinas, were held for the 13th straight year in Mecklenburg County. It's a family reunion of sorts, and there are plenty of families in the area with Scottish ancestry.

"The migration path was through Virginia and down through Rowan County in probably the 1660s or '50s," said Ben Forrester, president of Clan Forrester. "We have been here a long time."

Participants dressed in kilts watch as a tattered American flag burns.

People came out to show their Scottish roots, but also to pay tribute to the country they live in now. The U.S. flag retirement ceremony is a highlight for many at Sunday's games. A ravaged flag is burned in a bon fire.

"A worn, tattered flag can only be disposed of by burning," explained Bob Krause of the Scottish-American Military Society.

The participants in the events are very dedicated to preserving family traditions and staying connected to the past, which is what they say makes them so special.

"(It's) much more than just bagpipes!" Krause exclaimed.