Quest for Adventure

Quest for Adventure, also referred to as Quest for Safety, is a Jonny Quest parade float that was part of the 108th Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1, 1997 in Pasadena, California, USA.

The float was entered into the parade by the City of Alhambra and built by Phoenix Decorating Company.

The float was the recipient of that 1996 Tournament of Roses Volunteers' Trophy.

Overview
The float features Jonny in a jeep being chased by a rampaging elephant. It is styled from art originally done for The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest and included in the series' style guide.

Riders of the float sat in the Jeep portion, and included a person dressed as the Jonny Quest character. One of the voice actors, perhaps J.D. Roth or Quinton Flynn, also reportedly rode in the float. It's unconfirmed if the winner of the Quest for Safety contest rode in the float.

Description from the 1997 Tournament of Roses Parade program: "The City of Alhambra's 67th Rose Parade entry features Johnny Quest® on another thrilling adventure as he flees from the wrath of a stampeding elephant. Racing along in a jeep decorated with paper bark, seeds and green ti leaves, Johnny Quest finds himself in a reversal of fortune. The elephant is covered with yellow strawflowers, clover seed and sesame seed while the garden areas are adorned with roses, orchids, gerbera daisies, iris and lilies."

Safety Contest
In 1996, The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest was part of a promotional safety contest. First prize included riding on the "Quest for Safety float" in the parade.

"Jonny Quest launches safety promo

The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest is taking part in promoting safety. The program, which airs weekday afternoons on TBS Superstation, is tied in to the Quest for Safety promotion by the Safe America Foundation, TBS Superstation and Holiday Inn. From October 9 to November 4, children ages eight to 14 are invited to submit essays about how they practise safety or safety issues that they consider important. Chosen by a panel of public safety and community leaders, the ‘Safest Kid in America’ will win a ride on the Quest for Safety float with characters from The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest in the January 1 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. The winner’s essay will also appear on the TBS Superstation kids programming Web site (www.turner.com/disaster). Second-prize winners will receive bike helmets, T-shirts and Jonny Quest label pins."

The winner was announced to be Stephanie Hagan of Atlanta, Georgia.

Media coverage
KTLA 5 had a website documenting the floats, and this was their entry on the Jonny Quest float: "Parade Line Up


 * 1) 54 Float

City of Alhambra, California

'Quest for Adventure'

FLOAT BUILDER:

Phoenix Decorating Company

FLOAT DESCRIPTION:

Height: 17 feet 4 inches Width: 18 feet Length: 35 feet

The City of Alhambra's 67th Rose Parade entry features Johnny Quest® on another thrilling adventure as he flees from the wrath of a stampeding elephant. Racing along in a jeep decorated with paper bark, seeds and green ti leaves, Johnny Quest finds himself in a reversal of fortune.

FLOWERING:

Elephant: yellow strawflowers, clover seed, sesame seed. Jeep: paper bark, seeds and green ti leaves. Trees: cotton seed, ming moss and roses.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

1996 Tournament of Roses Volunteers' Trophy recipient

FLOAT RIDERS:

Johnny Quest (character)"

Around Alhambra had an article about the float in its December 1996 issue: "1996 ROSE PARADE

'QUEST FOR ADVENTURE'

The City of Alhambra will be sponsoring its 67th entry in the world famous Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1, 1997. In keeping with this year's parade theme 'Life's Shining Moment,' the City's float will be titled 'Quest for Adventure' and will feature the popular cable cartoon character 'Johnny Quest' being chased by a 17-foot-tall elephant.

This will be the 108th Rose Parade and will be viewed by an estimated 425 million people in more than 100 countries. The Alhambra Chamber of Commerce will again be cooperating with the Safe America Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes child transportation safety, and Hanna-Barbera which produces the Johnny Quest cartoon show. Over the past several months, viewers of the show have been sending essays on child safety. The winner of the contest will be riding on the float.

The float was designed by Phoenix Decorating, the same company who designed Alhambra's spectacular entry and winner of the -- '1996 Volunteers Trophy.' The float's framework was completed in August and the flower petals and other natural materials will be added to the float by more than 400 volunteers between now and Dec. 31."

The float was again documented by Around Alhambra in its January 1997 issue: "'Quest' Preview Was an Adventure

The Alhambra Tournament of Roses Association and the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce hosted a preview of the City's 1997 entry, 'Quest for Adventure,' Dec. 27.

Nearly 150 volunteers and friends braced the rain and were treated to an interesting and entertaining evening at the Phoenix Decorating Company in Pasadena. In addition to the personal-guided tours of the more than a dozen floats under construction, everyone enjoyed the appearance of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters Jonny Quest and George Jetson and his friendly dog Astro.

Councilman Mark Paulson, who is also the association's president, and Safe America Foundation president, Len Pagano, announced the winner of the national child safety essay contest -- Stephanie Hagan of Atlanta, Georgia.

The Safe America Foundation, a national non-profit organization that promotes child transportation safety received 1,300 application essays from children in 20 states, all vying for the opportunity to ride on the Alhambra float on New Year's Day.

A special aware was also presented to Joe Barbera, co-founder of Hanna-Barbera, creators of Jonny Quest, The Jetsons, The Flintstones, and other familiar cartoon characters. Hanna-Barbera, which now operates under the Warner Bros. corporate banner, together with Holiday Inn Pasadena helped promote this year's child safety contest."

Notes/trivia

 * The float was the 54th in march order in the parade.