TV promotion and marketing takes to the skies as a hit children’s television franchise, JAY JAY THE JET PLANE, launches a 32-city tour designed to entertain young children and families at air shows and aviation festivals across the United States, it was announced by PorchLight Entertainment Inc. and the Fun Events Co.
A beloved television series and merchandise line among children 2-6, JAY JAY THE JET PLANE, launched in 1998 on The Learning Channel and has been airing on PBS since 2001, reaching 80% of all U.S. TV households weekly. The multiple award-winning series from PorchLight currently airs in 60 countries worldwide. The weekday series introduces preschool children to the wonders of science and nature, while also presenting “imaginative life lessons.”
The “Jay Jay the Jet Plane Tours America” 2005 tour will showcase Jay Jay, Brenda Blue and all of their friends from Tarrytown Airport. Housed in a 53-foot themed tractor trailer that ‘comes to life’ at the event, the experience includes a live stage show, themed bounce houses, video viewing area, a merchandise gift shop, as well as activity areas such as Snuffy’s Creation Station, Herky’s Paint Station, Jay Jay and Tracy’s Picture Place and the Tarrytown Post Office. The tour will begin April 23-24 with the huge Vidalia Onion Festival Air Show in Georgia, followed by the Air Rendezvous show in Springfield, Illinois. The nationally acclaimed Blue Angels will perform at the majority of tour sites.
A growing phenomenon, air shows are attended by 12 million people each year nationwide, and over three million are anticipated at the 70 Jay Jay tour dates. Following initial development and concept testing by PorchLight, Orlando, Florida-based companies Baker Leisure Group, The Nassal Co., investor Bill Bieberbach and The JBP Entertainment Group have collectively developed, fabricated and will be launching the national tour.
These firms have worked with clients such as Walt Disney Ent. Worldwide, Universal Studios, Sea World, Legoland and Coca-Cola.
“We felt Jay Jay and his airplane friends were the perfect fit for families at these air shows,” said PorchLight’s coo Bill Baumann. “There really wasn’t anything for the little ones at the shows and now they can have their own special activities, to share with their older siblings and parents.
“This tour is just one part of our multi-faceted outreach program bringing Jay Jay directly to his fans in cities big and small across the country,” Baumann added.
Fun Events Co. mp Steve Baker said, “We’re building an amazing entertainment area for Jay Jay’s young fans, emphasizing exploration, physical activity, creativity and friendship, and we’re excited to be working closely with PorchLight on this national tour. Air shows attract millions of people each year and we feel it’s a wonderful way to bring the magic of flight down to a young child’s level.”
JAY JAY THE JET PLANE, created by Deborah and David Michel, follows the adventures of a perky and curious six-year old jet plane named Jay Jay and his airplane friends who live and play at Tarrytown Airport, a place “where imagination takes flight!” The 3D animated series is produced by PorchLight and Modern Cartoons, in association with Knightscove Ent., with PorchLight holding exclusive worldwide distribution rights.
Founded in 1995, Los Angeles-based PorchLight Ent. (
www.porchlight.com ) is a multi-faceted company focused on the production and distribution of high-quality family entertainment. The company’s distribution catalog consists of more than 100 feature films and 500 half-hours of series programming.
Fun Events Co. is a recently formed partnership between Baker, president/founder of the Baker Leisure Group, Bill Nassal Sr., president/founder of The Nassal Co. and investor Bill Bieberbach. The mission of the company is to develop and manage tours and events based on children’s properties. Collectively, the group has more than 100 years of experience in the leisure and entertainment industry. For more information, please contact Brian Machamer at 407.351.0425.
