From the Stevens Point Journal April 8, 2006:

Parade kicks off Trivia weekend

Event traditional beginning to 54-hour contest

By Brandi Pettit
For the Journal

There was a block-party feel along many streets in Stevens Point on Friday, as residents waited patiently for "Trivia 37: The Odd Contest" parade to come by. Neighbors emerged from their homes to chat, and college students

Mark Wooldrage, from left, Mark Krawczyk and Dawn Schroeder perform on the float for their team Freak Tut during Friday's Trivia parade. Thomas Kujawski/Stevens Point Journal

played football in the streets.

The parade marks the official kickoff to the World's Largest Trivia Contest. About 30 floats, decked out in everything from flying superheroes to the infamous Vice President Dick Cheney shooting, paraded through the streets of Stevens Point, where several thousand people will gather through Sunday for the 54-hour contest.

Team members were already primed for a good time, including those belonging to Team Thicko, who spray-painted a black station wagon with their team's name, along with an advertisement for Eagle Auto.

"We worked for about five minutes," said Team Thicko's Alex Mauer, 25.

"Well, make that 10," corrected 25-year-old teammate Jenny Asuguo.

The parade left parking lot Q on Illinois Avenue, winding through the streets of the city until reaching its destination at P.J. Jacobs Junior High parking lot.

Of the 30-some floats in this year's parade, nearly all threw treats to the crowd, many of whom were children.

"Mama -- candy!" squealed 2-year-old Juke Carpenter, Jr., as he scrambled toward the large handful thrown his way.

Bradley Makuski, 5, and his 4-year-old brother, Richard, were more interested in the floats.

"Look, Batman!" hollered Richard, as the boys watched two men dressed as the superhero and his sidekick Robin on the trailer of a truck.

The float was built so the two men could "fly" on a pair of cables.

The parade ended around 5:30 p.m., when Jim "The Oz" Olivia called for the group's attention.

"Thanks for coming out, it was a great parade," Olivia said to several hundred excited sightseers and float riders. "These are the best floats I've ever seen."

The Olivia joked about this year's trivia apparel, all of which is hunter orange.

"I went to Fleet Farm yesterday, and I blended right in," said Olivia, referring to the orange shirts the stores' employees wear. "People were asking me where the nails were."

Olivia soon turned the microphone over to Mayor Gary Wescott, who will serve as a celebrity phone volunteer on Sunday.

"Well, it is now one minute before 6 (p.m.)," Wescott said. "I guess it is time to officially declare the games open."

As always, trivia officials judge parade floats based on their originality and entertainment values. Freak Tut won third place for the float contest, and Dad's Computers won second place. The best float for the parade belonged to the Norwegian Studs.

While prizes in past years have included various frozen food items from Portesi Pizza, this year's loot came from Premium Brands, with two half-barrels awarded to the top spot.

Before letting the contestants go, Wescott reminded the cheering crowd, "The Oz contest is on its way!"