The Cartoon Network Dive-In Theater Tour

 Everyone who has even a passing interest in cartoons knows of Cartoon Network. For over thirty years they've been (or so they claim to be) the best place for cartoons. But in its early years, it was a much different story. The channel was brand new, and had to market heavily to attract viewers. Cartoon Network's marketing got pretty creative in its earlier years, and one of its most unique endeavors was the Cartoon Network Dive-In Theater Tour.

Running through the summers of 1995 and 1996, the Dive-In tour saw the channel take over various water parks in the United States. Each event featured previews of their series, as well as games and prizes. Below is a piece about one such event that appeared in the July 12th, 1996 edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Accompanying the article are several of the unique rafts and floats that were offered at these parks.

Casanova, other Toons capture attention of young park patrons

By Monica S. Skaggs

    Kitchen Casanova, one of the Cartoon Network's newest animated characters, won the heart of the 7-year-old Watauga girl last night.
    "I liked it when the food started burning." Kali Barber said as she sat scrunched up on a lounge chair next to her parents, Nancy and Steve Barber, and her 4-year-old sister, Lisa.
    The Barbers were among 775 people who turned out for the Dive-In Theater at NRH2O Family Water Park. The Cartoon Network took over the popular water park for a night of sneak-preview cartoons, prizes, and a visit by Space Ghost, a 40-foot blowup cartoon character clad in a swimsuit.

    Guests had a chance to preview five cartoons and a trailer of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest on a 9-by-12-foot screen.
    "That's about as fresh as they get," said Paul Siefken, a Cartoon Network spokesman. "It's hot off the artist's pen."
    The antics of Kitchen Casanova, billed as "a love-starved Casanova who tries to cook up dinner as well as a little romance for his date," garnered several laughs from the young viewers.
    NRH2O was the first stop in an 11-city Cartoon Network tour that will include New York, Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco.
    "We're only one of two sites that were chosen last year, too," NRH2O spokesman Jack Thompson said. "We were so popular, they came back."
    At last year's first World Premiere Toons Dive-In Theater, children at NRH2O previewed a cartoon featuring a carrot-topped boy genius named Dexter. They—and other children around the country—apparently liked what they saw.
    "He's a big sensation now. He recently got an Emmy nomination," Siefken said. "We're using the World Premiere Toons as a pilot program. We show new talent to these kids, and when we find out what they like, we turn it into a series. Dive-In Theater is an excellent opportunity." 

    The Atlanta-based Cartoon Network, an all-animation channel, is operated by Turner Broadcasting System Inc.

If you'd like to know more about these events, check out this Twitter post from Brian A. Miller, who worked as a producer for Hanna-Barbera in its final years before embarking on a 21-year journey at Cartoon Network Studios. His account, in general, is worth a follow if you're a fan of either studio, as he's always sharing interesting stuff and great anecdotes from his time in the industry.