2024 Queens
Carissa Mikelonis
My name is Carissa Lynn Mikelonis, I am your 2024 Miss Washington Parish Balloon Festival Queen, proudly representing my hometown! As soon as I was crowned I took this opportunity and ran with it. Traveling around Louisiana is such an honorable and humbling experience. I have already learned so much about my state through other queens. Although majority of my time is devoted to representing and promoting the Washington Parish Balloon Festival I am heavily involved in my school, Pine High School, where I am the Raiderette dance captain, a member of FCA, Beta, NHS, and 4-H club. I plan to go to LSU and study nursing. I am currently enrolled in Southeastern as a high school student gaining college credit hours while still being a high school student. I am also enrolled in Northshore Technical Community College taking a CNA class, I will be certified before I graduate high school in 2025. It means a lot to be able to care for people and make a change in someone’s life, this is why I have chosen nursing as my career. At LSU I plan to get my BSN to work at a hospital as an RN. I am motivated in not only my future but the festivals future. Seeing a festival grow is such an amazing opportunity and will love to come back as a Queen committee member in the next years.
I am your 2024 Miss Washington Parish Balloon Festival Queen, Carissa Lynn Mikelonis.
Aniston Blair McKenzie
My name is Aniston Blair McKenzie and I am the 2024 Washington Parish Balloon Festival Teen Queen. I am the 16 year old daughter of Derrick and Kandace McKenzie of the Pine community and have two sisters. As an 11th grader at Pine High School, I am actively involved in the Beta, History, and 4-H Club, National Honor Society, F.C.A., F.F.A., and Washington Parish Youth Coalition. Also, I am a member of the Lady Raiders Volleyball and Softball Team. I attend Stateline Missionary Baptist Church and participate in the youth group. Upon graduation, I plan to attend the University of Southern Mississippi and become a pediatric dentist and work as a missionary.
Being a fair or festival queen has always been a dream of mine. Growing up, I had a backstage pass to see what took place when girls competed for a title. I remember thinking to myself, “What an honor it would be to win.” An honor such as this was bestowed upon me last March when I was crowned as the 2024 Washington Parish Balloon Festival Teen Queen. Now, I understand winning is not only a crown and banner, but an ambassador with many responsibilities.
As teen queen, the opportunities to promote this new and fun festival as well as our parish has been an honor to embrace across the beautiful, great state of Louisiana. Traveling to various events has been an amazing experience! I absolutely love meeting new people and learning their cultures while visiting their quaint hometowns. The friendships and memories will be treasured for a lifetime.
Being crowned with this prestigious title has been one of the greatest honors I have received. I will always cherish it and what it represents. It is more than just an event; it is a celebration that happens in our community who share the love for the beauty and wonder of hot air balloons. It symbolizes hard work and dedication that I hold near and dear to my heart. I will forever be grateful! I would like to thank the board members and pageant committee of the Washington Parish Balloon Festival, along with the many sponsors, volunteers, and pilots who made the festival a success this past year, despite the rain!
Madeline Adams
I am your 2024 Pre-Teen Washington Parish Balloon Festival Queen, Madeline Adams. I am the 15 year old daughter of Kristi Lott and the late Bryan Adams. I am a Sophmore at Pine High School where I am involved in many different clubs, as well as the Raiderette dance team. I enjoy competitive dancing, hunting, fishing, and spending time with my biggest supporters, my family.
After high school, I plan to study at Louisiana State University and pursue a degree in Nursing and continue on to become a Nurse Practitioner. My reason for choosing to do this in the future is because I want to be able to help my community in any way possible.
As your Pre-Teen Queen, I make it a big priority to help my community as well as support other local queens and festivals throughout my reign. Being crowned your queen has been nothing but amazing. Nothing beats riding in a Hot Air Balloon alongside my Teen Queen, Aniston. I plan to have more memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. By keeping God first, I can achieve great heights throughout my life and this reign.
I am your 2024 Washington Parish Balloon Festival Pre-Teen Queen, Madeline Reese Adams.
2023 Balloon Festival queens
2023 MISS WASHINGTON PARISH BALLOON Festival Queen ASHLYN RAE VINING
Being crowned the 2023 and 1st Miss Washington Parish Balloon Festival Queen has been nothing short of incredible. I have embodied the pageant industry since I was a young girl so being a Louisiana Fairs and Festival Queens has truly been so rewarding. From the East to West and North to South, I have represented the Washington Parish Balloon Festival throughout our entire state of Louisiana in the most professional way possible. Throughout this journey I have met some of my best friends and have created a sisterhood bond that I will cherish for a lifetime. Experiencing the festival was absolutely amazing and I watched our community unite with laughs, cheers and of course, hot air balloon rides. I am forever blessed for this role and truly grateful to have grown as a person from this experience. My transparent love for my community, committee, family, friends, and festival is something that I wholeheartedly cherish.
Mirror Mirror on the Wall, who has the greatest hot air balloon festival of them all?
I am and forever will be your 2023 and 1st Miss Washington Parish Balloon Festival Queen,
Ashlyn Rae Vining.
2023 Miss Washington Parish Balloon FestivalTeen Miss Queen Lillian Bell
As your 2023 Teen Miss Washington Parish Balloon Festival Queen I cannot express how extremely proud and honored I am to represent this title. I am Lillian Alivia Bell, the 16- year- old daughter of Caleb and Amber Bell. I honestly believe that the Balloon Festivals two biggest fans are my 2 younger sisters, who have come to love the Balloon Festival just as much as any Teen Queen’s sisters should. I am a Junior at Bens Ford Christian School, water girl for the football team, a member of the BETA Club and National Honors Society. I am also a member of Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church. Volunteering my time at a Therapy clinic during the summer helped me realize that one of my goals in life is to become a Pediatric Physical Therapist.
Soaring all over South Louisiana to represent this title has resulted in an amazing journey. Meeting other queens, tasting different kinds of Creole and Cajun food, (that I have never tasted) and learning about the Bayou state’s cultures has truly been an experience like no other. My very first hot air balloon flight and my crown flying off as we landed in a cow field would have to be the most awe-inspiring and laughable part of this journey so far.
This adventure throughout the beautiful State of Louisiana
will continue to live on in my heart forever. Flying over the state has often reminded me of a favorite Bible verse found in Colossians 3:2, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the Earth.” Life has taught me that if you keep God first in everything you do, you can achieve great heights. Stay tuned to see where I will be soaring next as your 2023 Teen Miss. Washington Parish Balloon Festival Queen,
Lillian Alivia Bell.
2023 Miss Washington Parish Balloon Festival Pre-Teen Queen Lynli Dufrene
I'm Lynli Dufrene, proudly holding the title of Miss Pre-Teen Queen at the Washington Parish Balloon Festival. At 13 years old, I have two younger brothers and a baby sister who are my biggest supporters. Currently, I'm a student at Ben’s Ford Christian School, where I not only play softball but also find my favorite subject in science. My dream is to attend LSU for Neonatal Nursing.
Hailing from South Louisiana, I relish in the offerings of the "Sportsman's Paradise" – from alligator hunting to frogging and duck hunting, I love it all! I'm also quite the racer, frequently claiming victory in my mini-wedge races on the thrilling dirt track. Winters are dedicated to deer hunting at our Mississippi cabin, with my proudest moment being a 7-year-old bagging a five-point buck.
When I'm not embracing the outdoors, I enjoy getting all dolled up to represent our fantastic Balloon Festival. I also make it a point to support other towns' festivals and queens. As for my reign, nothing beats the thrill of racing in a hot air balloon alongside our Queen, Ashlyn. Another cherished memory is participating in the MCCA parade to celebrate Mardi Gras in Bogalusa, LA, alongside Queen Ashlyn and Miss Teen Queen Lillian.