How to Host a Trivia Night: Tips and Tricks to Get it Right

Chances are, you are an intelligent person who knows other intelligent people. Why not get these brilliant folks together and host a trivia night? If you’re wondering how to host a trivia night, you’ve come to the right place. Sure, some bars and restaurants in your city probably already have such events, but it can be so much more fun when you have the creative license of a host.

The question is, how does one organize and host a trivia night? It’s a relatively simple event to plan. You won’t be burdened by having to figure out music and decorations, for example. All that’s required is an exciting venue to spread out the gameplay, some interested guests, and maybe some snacks. Here is a selection of tips and tricks that can make trivia night enjoyable for all.

1. Secure a unique venue on Peerspace

There’s a good chance that your residence isn’t big enough to host a large gathering of eager trivia players. And even if it is, it’s always fun to spice up the venue. Instead of hosting the event at home, rent a unique venue through Peerspace.

Peerspace is easy to use — all you do is perform a search for the type of venue you need for your get-together in the city you want to host it and scroll through thousands of spaces where you can bring the trivia night to life.

You can filter venue results based on venue type, price range, guest count, and more. And since all Peerspaces are owned by dedicated locals, you can count on your host to provide any assistance you may need. Reach out to them at any point leading up to or during your event with questions or requests and they’ll be happy to help.

So what types of Peerspaces are ideal for trivia night?

Here are a few suggestions:

• This New Orleans flex space in the Lower 9th ward (pictured above) that can accommodate 25 players and has modular furnishings
• This huge Miami waterfront house with space for 25 guests, a pool, and several lounge spaces
• This versatile lounge in Chelsea, NYC with space for 50 guests, several seating areas, a kitchen, and a riser for the host to stand
• This stylish bar and lounge in San Francisco, CA with space for 45 guests, a DJ setup, tables and chairs, and personalized bartender service
• This chic and welcoming gathering space in Chicago, IL with room for 80 guests, banquet tables, lounge seating, an A/V system, a courtyard, and a kitchen
• This urban multi-use space in Phoenix, AZ with space for 25 guests, tables, chairs, sofas, and optional coffee bar service

You get the idea! Peerspace offers you access to fun, hidden gem spaces in cities across the country and beyond.

And remember, when you book a Peerspace, you can talk to the venue’s host about help arranging catering, equipment, furnishings, and anything else your trivia night party may need. That frees you up so you can focus on crafting those killer trivia questions!

2. Gather the guests

In an ideal world, the host knows a crew of folks who would be interested in a trivia night. Getting them to commit to attending is another story. Send out invites either via email or by using a group chat on some social platform or another. If you have everyone’s number, back that up by creating a group text. Be sure to indicate that guests can bring others – assuming “the more, the merrier” is indeed the case – so that enough people show up ready to play.

The guest number will determine how much space, snacks, and even questions you’ll need. So try to get as accurate of a headcount as possible beforehand. A good rule of thumb is to add 10-15 percent to the number of RSVPs to ensure enough chairs and food. And suppose there are more than, say, 20 guests. In that case, it’s a good idea to have some audiovisual equipment on hand so everyone can hear the questions through speakers and see the visuals projected onto a wall or screen if you decide to incorporate them.

Again, in an ideal world, an even number of players will show up, so you can equally distribute the teams into two. Meanwhile, the trivia night host – i.e., you – can emcee the game and keep score. Remind invitees to start thinking of a team name, too.

Really want a setting that will impress your guests? Then check out how and where to rent a mansion for a day!

3. Write the questions

There’s nothing wrong with using pre-written questions that you find online or that come included in standard pre-packaged trivia games. If, though, you have the energy and desire, consider writing your questions just for this event. While this will require extra time, you can tailor the questions to the group and the gathering venue.

For example, if you’re hosting a trivia night in this Moroccan desert loft in Los Angeles (pictured above), the trivia questions could focus on international travel. If most of the players are into sports, you could write questions along with sports-themed categories. Guests will be amazed when you go to all this extra effort to host a highly personalized trivia party.

Generally, a two-hour bar trivia game consists of about seven rounds with about ten questions per round, but as the event host, it’s up to you how long and involved the game will be.

You can have the teams submit responses by writing them on paper or use an online quiz-maker like Kahoot! so competitors can submit answers online. (This relies on a solid internet connection and everyone having their phone charged, though, and works best by projecting the quiz onto a screen or wall.)

4. Vittles and libations

Public service announcement: It’s 100 percent okay to have even small parties catered. If you’ve booked a Peerspace venue, don’t forget that the host can hook you up with catering, furniture, and A/V rentals that you might need to enhance your game-playing experience. The caterer will bring the food and bev straight to your venue, reducing your stress levels significantly.

You can also opt to book a restaurant through Peerspace and have food cooked and served fresh on-site. Restaurants list their venues on Peerspace in order to book events like trivia nights. You can then work with the chef to design a custom menu or ask them to prepare their most popular dishes for you and your guests.

One of our favorite options is this peaceful cafe patio in Berkeley, CA (pictured above). You can host your trivia night on its furnished patio and enjoy gourmet coffees and tea, local craft beers and wine, and a variety of pastries and bagels, all dished out fresh on the premises.

According to Peerspace reviewers, the hosts are super supportive! “Highwire was perfect! The patio was gorgeous and they were so helpful when more people than expected arrived. They also were so helpful when our catering order showed up early too. Thank you Kevin and Tommy and the whole team for helping everything go smoothly!”

Of course, if you feel like cooking or otherwise sourcing the refreshments yourself, more power to you – you’re the trivia party host. While trivia isn’t precisely an aerobic exercise, it’s always wise to make sure that the food can be held in one’s hand, freeing the other for gesticulation. Also, using recyclable dinnerware and glasses is a wise choice, as frantic and impassioned trivia players tend to break stuff. 

Now that you’ve mastered how to host trivia night, check out how to host a murder mystery party next!

5. Prizes

Party-goers aren’t necessarily expecting a prize at the end of the event, but your guests aren’t the average party-goers. Think about it: why do people play trivia? They want the friendship, the competition, the beer, and the bragging rights that come from winning.

Winning trivia at a bar means two things: the aforementioned bragging rights and a prize – usually a gift certificate to the hosting venue or sometimes cash. Since neither of those is necessarily appropriate for a private game, the host, i.e., you, should secure some fun gag gifts for the winning team. Should you be feeling particularly generous, you could even provide small gifts for the runners-up.

6. Consider a themed trivia night

There is nothing like a theme party to engage your trivia night participants even more. Should you choose to theme your trivia night, it can help you decide on your venue, your food and drink, costumes (if you so choose!), and of course, your questions.

For instance, you can book this historic classic Washington, D.C. mansion that was once the residence of Woodrow Wilson! This makes it perfect for Presidential-themed trivia nights. The rest of the home has a stylish Georgian aesthetic, so you can always go Bridgerton-themed, too. It all depends on your preferences and what your guests will enjoy.

“I loved working with the Woodrow Wilson House staff,” shares a Peerspace reviewer. “They were kind and very accommodating. The location is great!”

How to host a trivia night: conclusion

We hope this guide has helped erase all doubts and has left you feeling excited about hosting your own trivia night.

As you can see, your trivia night event venue should be your first consideration. After all, the right venue can set the appropriate tone and provide you with all the amenities you need to make the night a complete success.

Book a Peerspace venue near you that suits your style and your trivia night needs, and your hosting duties will become more streamlined. Remember to contact your host with any questions or requests you may have. It’s the easiest to ensure your trivia night is one to remember.

Find unique trivia night party venues on Peerspace