North Atlanta Pipes & Drums was very proud to have participated for the first time in this year’s Loch Hartwell Scottish Festival and Games at its new location in Anderson, SC. The day started very chilly but by the end of the day the temperature had heated up tremendously. It was a gorgeous fall day.

Though we’d like to say it was a relaxing day as it wasn’t a competition event it turned out to be probably one of our more exhausting events. Apart from three performances in different areas of the festival we also participated in two massed bands. The downside was there was a lot of walking just to get to the performance and parade ground areas. Add in the fact that the pipers were breaking in new chanters and reeds and by the end of the day everyone was exhausted.

The band was well represented with five pipers and five drummers (the most drummers we have had this year). It also marked the first time our newest piper, Sam Johnson, and newest tenor drummer, Trish Wallace, performed with the band; it is great to have them and they add a lot to the group.

This year only four bands participated in the event as two bands backed out at the last minute. North Atlanta Pipes & Drums sounded very good and we put the time to good use with playing our competition set a number of times getting ready for our last competition of the year at Stone Mountain.

This was a new venue for Loch Hartwell and though the attendance looked to be a little low we did hear that it still was better than the old location. The venue is a good one and we think going forward the festival should grow in attendance and participation.

Already tired after a full day we finished with massed bands that did us in! After marching off the field the drum major kept us marching and playing all the way to the sponsor’s tent. If we had continued any further there may have been a mutiny but some got to imbide in a nice, cool, beverage at the sponsors tent.