Kamryn Reese Burnett, representing Bell County High School, is the 2024 KMLF Princess.

Kamryn is the daughter of Lance Burnett and Tonya Phipps. She lives in Clear Creek, just five minutes from the lodge at Pine Mountain State Park.

“I remember riding my pink Barbie Jeep in the Gala Parade when I was four years old and seeing all of the princess candidates and queen candidates,” she said.  “It’s a really big deal to me, especially because I’m from right here in Bell County and I was raised on this festival.”

Burnett was chosen as the KMLF Princess from a field of 19 candidates from high schools all across the 13th Region and from as far away as Lexington and Madisonville.

She said her favorite part of being a princess candidate was hearing from visitors who come back to Pineville for the festival each year.

“My favorite part, honestly, has been hearing other people’s stories. The festival is such a big deal and it’s interesting to hear someone from five hours away tell about how they got involved with the festival and their experiences with the festival. All of my friends are from around here so we grew up on that,” Burnett said.

KMLF President John Combs had the honor of crowning Burnett as the new princess at Friday evening’s coronation. The night’s festivities were capped off with the traditional grand march.

Nadine Johnson, from Pineville High School, was named Miss Photogenic while Mallory Hayden McNiel, from Harlan Independent High School, was named Miss Congeniality and William Cassim, escort of Harlan County High School’s Ella Karst, was named Best Escort.