SciFri Trivia Night 2016 FAQ Rules

On Wednesday, May 18^th TrivWorks has the privilege of joining forces once again with Science Friday, the immensely-popular radio program, to produce our 2^nd-annual mega science trivia night at The Bell House in Gowanus, Brooklyn!

Covering all things science, SciFri host Ira Flatow will once again preside over the biggest science-themed trivia night New York City has ever seen, pitting the greatest scientific minds against one another for another raucous team trivia challenge filled with big words, big prizes, tons of laughs – and plenty of booze! It’s a unique and fun way to engage with the SciFri brand and staff firsthand, but also a great opportunity to meet other science enthusiasts who love to just have a blast!

Last year’s event sold out completely, and we expect this year’s event to do so as well – for those of you who were unable to join us in 2015, but are planning to do so this year, here is a handy list of rules and frequently asked questions to help get you prepared – and psyched – for the ultimate science-lover’s trivia experience!

What time does the event start? – Doors will open promptly at 7:30pm, with an anticipated trivia start time of 8pm

When will the event end? – We shall likely wrap up around 10pm (though you can continue drinking/hanging out afterwards in The Bell House’s front lounge area)

Will I be guaranteed a place to sit? – This is important: The Bell House is a mixed seated/standing venue – again, we are expecting a sellout attendance for this event, and as such, there will NOT be enough seats for all who are joining us. Everybody in attendance IS guaranteed to have a blast no matter what, and there is ample standing room by the bar, etc. – however, we want to ensure that you have as enjoyable an experience as possible, and strongly recommend that you arrive early WITH YOUR ENTIRE TEAM in order to obtain the best available seating options

What kind of trivia will Ira be asking? – This is of course a science-themed event, however this year the SciFri team has taken things one step further, to focus on DANGEROUS science! You can expect to be asked about the most hazardous things out there, including in the animal world, outer space, man-made perils and more. Ira will be broadly covering the entire scientific spectrum, but all under an umbrella of peril…!

What happens when I show up? – As soon as you arrive at the venue, you will present your ticket and enter the main performance space in the back. Before taking your seat, you will be given one answer packet and one pen PER TEAM, and asked to submit your team name IN ADVANCE. This will help out grading process tremendously (more on that below). You can then enter the space, find a seat, grab a drink, and get ready for the show!

What will the event format be? – Our massive trivia events at The Bell House are designed as team contests, with Ira announcing multiple rounds of full-room trivia for ALL in attendance! We typically have four rounds of ten questions, each round having a particular theme – in this case, a “dangerous science” theme. In between rounds while the SciFri team is tabulating answer sheets, we’ll have something fun as well to entertain you!

Okay…what will the entertainment in between rounds be? – Glad you asked – we’ve got an awesome and interactive BAND this year, who will keep the energy sky-high and the laughs flowing while we compile team scores!

Can I come by myself? – You certainly can, however as mentioned, this is intended as a team trivia contest; please note, however, that this is an incredibly friendly audience! Should you plan to attend by yourself, you will find no problem locating a team to join up with (we can even assist you in doing this, if needed).

How many people can there be on a team? – In order to make the contest as fair as possible – as well as to help make our grading go as smoothly and efficiently as possible with 80 expected teams (wow!) – we will be limiting team sizes to 8 people. We will also request that smaller teams of 2-4 people join forces, to create a “trivia powerhouse” – this will further facilitate our scoring, but also boost your chances of winning (and let you meet more fun people!)

Do we have to come up with team names in advance? – YES! This is another important logistical step: you will be asked to submit your team’s name upon arrival, so please take some time to come up with a fantastic team name with your fellow teammates in advance, BEFORE you arrive (and please, before you make it up to the front of the check-in table line!)

Will cheating be allowed? – No.

Can I use my phone for non-cheating purposes? – Yes! As you are likely aware, SciFri and TrivWorks are extremely social media-friendly, and we seek to make this an extremely social media-friendly night; you are more than encouraged to tweet, Instagram, Snapchat, tag, post vids, etc. – you or one of your teammates might even find yourselves onstage with Ira, and you’ll certainly want documentation…! (Based on last year’s event, Ira and the SciFri team will also likely be roaming the room to take selfies with the crowd – we also had some good-natured trash talking in advance of the event AND during the event itself by some of the teams representing other prestigious media outlets in the scientific community, which we welcome!)

How long will tickets be available for? – Last year, we had to close sales the week before the event due to availability – as such, we strongly recommend that you buy your tickets in advance, rather than plan to buy at the door the night of!

I still have questions which weren’t addressed here – what should I do? – Please feel free to submit any additional question via the “Leave A Comment” section below, or tweet @SciFri and/or @TrivWorks – we’ll get back to you right away!