APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – The Great Midwest Trivia Contest, created by Lawrence University students in Appleton, is back for its 57th consecutive year and it’s starting Friday night.
According to a release, the pandemic has forced some adjustments over the past two years. However, organizers say most of the hallmarks of trivia weekend remain – with ridiculously obscure questions, the oddly specific starting time, useless prizes, trivia T-shirts, armadillo sightings, and sleep deprivation.
The trivia tradition that dates back more than five decades is continuing to welcome teams on and off campus with a dozen trivia masters gathering in Lawrence’s Briggs Hall during the contest to allow for greater social distancing.
A little history – the contest was first held in the spring of 1966, the brainchild of a student named J.B. deRosset, who saw it as a needed distraction for a stressed-out student body. When he returned to campus in 2015 for the 50th anniversary of the contest, organizers say he told them he never expected it to have a second year, let alone become a beloved undertaking for decades to come.
Where to tune in
Students plan to stream trivia on Twitch again instead of broadcasting it on WLFM and will continue the stream for 50 hours, ending at midnight on Sunday.
Riley Newton, a senior and this year’s trivia headmaster, says last year’s Twitch stream drew positive feedback because players were able to see the questions instead of just hearing them on the broadcast.
The student-produced contest is scheduled to begin 37 seconds after 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28, 2022.
You can access the stream for the Great Midwest Trivia Contest off of your computer or phone (or use the Twitch app) by clicking here.