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How to Choose a Trivia Night Venue
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There are a 3 main things to keep in mind when you select a trivia night venue, a date and an MC for your trivia event.
Avoid Other Conflicts for the Same Night
When choosing the date, remember to check out if there are any other event conflicts, especially school events (especially sports), or long holiday weekends where people may travel out of town.
Have more than one date in mind, prioritizing most desired.
- Survey your potential behind-the-scenes helpers as well to determine your dates and each venue’s availability .
- Take into account timing if you are holding the event in months like December. Guests start to have holiday family parties, dinners, etc. so you may not get the attendance numbers you plan.
- Determine your target audience’s potential availability and how many attendees you hope to attract to your trivia night.
You’ll want to work out how large you want your event to be and if you are fundraising. You don’t want to rent a venue that eats into the majority of your fundraising income.
Many venues may offer a discount for organizations that are tax exempt, or towards a fundraising event the venue owners may support. It’s worth asking!
Your venue’s availability is often the basis for selecting your event date. Research and survey multiple dates your behind-the-scenes team has open.
In addition to the venue rental, know the venue occupation limits for your attendees, and compare venue rates. It’s ok to shop around!
The optimum mid-range events range between 125-150 players (8 players per table) depending on your venue size.
The date is also important for your Behind the Scenes Team. Your team is typically is made up for volunteers (I have great friends who have helped for multiple years). Many folks want to be a part of Trivia Night, yet don’t necessarily want to be on a team. There’s a role for everyone!
Trivia Night Venue Amenities for Guests
The venue amenities are the most important to ensure visual and audio presentations are easily received, a venue should include
- podium with microphone
- projection screen for displaying questions and visual round clues
- audio capabilities
- adequate seating
- Behind the Scenes scoring tables
- areas for food and drink
BYOB and food are attractive incentives to an event if the venue allows or does not supply food or bartender. Venues that allow food and drink brought in typically have a higher turnout!
Most popular venues will need several months booking in advance. Begin advertising at least 2 months in advance. Gradually “leak” details in the weeks leading up to your event about raffles, food, theme contest, etc. to build interest and incentivize early table reservations.
Master of Ceremony
A very important consideration in running a trivia night is the MC. Experience is not necessary.
Game directions and other announcements are updated throughout the event.
Who can be your MC
- a representative from your organization
- a principal or superintendent
- a public relations coordinator from your local Chamber of Commerce
- anyone comfortable with a microphone in front of a crowd
Responsibilities:
- Read trivia questions
- Keep rounds moving on schedule
- Announce scores
- Host games between rounds
- Maintain energy and crowd engagement
Having a detailed itinerary can provide your MC with important announcements and details for each round to say. Have volunteers help run the games between rounds if you wish to give your MC host a break.
A few days before the event
- Send a link or email a copy of the questions with answers for the host to familiarize themselves with any problematic vocabulary terms or phrasing.
- Prepare an itinerary of the night’s rounds with announcements, games and any additional notes for the MC for running the event smoothly. This will be an upcoming post if you’d like an example and more information!
5 Keys to the BEST Trivia Night Experience
Trivia Night Venue Takeaways:
- Event Venue: Remember to check out conflicting dates of any other events, especially school sporting events, or long holiday weekends.
- Venue Amenities: Adequate technical support is the key to running a smooth event for both your team and guests. Food and drink options offer additional incentives for venue choice.
- Master of Ceremony: Experience is not necessary if the MC is prepped ahead of time and the venue has essential technical capabilities.
NEXT: Assemble your Behind the Scenes Team – Your volunteers are crucial to your success. Lucky for you, a large team is not always needed!
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