From the Stevens Point Journal April 12, 2008:

Trivia fanatics not afraid of rain, hail, cold weather

Trivia naysayers take note: If you want to rain on Trivia's parade, it will take more than, well, rain.

A rainy day could not stop Friday’s Trivia Parade. The float procession was an opportunity for even the teams that never win to shine. THOMAS KUJAWSKI/STEVENS POINT JOURNAL

What in past years has been a fanfare of paper streamers and papier-mache floats shrunk to a more modest procession this year, as drizzle, cold weather and occasional hail beleaguered the annual Trivia kickoff parade.

This year's event, themed "Trivia Invasion," began at 6 p.m. Friday and ends at midnight Sunday.

Still, Trivia diehards stood strong. Themed Trivia floats included a massive birthday cake labeled "Eat me," a Starship Enterprise, and even a yellow submarine.

"(Trivia) is indestructible," said Sean Hanlin of Plover-based team "Dad's Computers." "My first year, it was 12 degrees below zero."

Even with a thinned-out crowd, however, Hanlin and his teammate Eric Hamus said the Trivia parade offered teams who can't break into ranks of the top-scoring teams a way to make a mark on the contest.

A member of “We Really Have to Pee” gets comfortable for the parade. THOMAS KUJAWSKI/STEVENS POINT JOURNAL

For other teams, the parade represents even more -- it's one of the few times Trivia true believers can congregate to wish each other luck, gently rib each other, or, say, get married.

That's what Jennifer Asuquo and Alex Mauer did in the 2007 Trivia parade. The Stevens Point couple got married atop their Trivia float with their team, "Team Thicko." A string quartet trailed behind as a friend, dressed as Elvis, officiated.

A year later, they're celebrating an anniversary of sorts. They were married on April 20, but Trivia was where they fell in love.

Asked how their marriage has fared during the non-Trivia times of their life, Mauer said, "I don't know that there is any non-Trivia-themed life ... seriously, we plan our year around Trivia. It's kind of the thing of the year."

For people like Mauer, the Trivia parade is where the rubber meets the road. A year of stockpiling candy wrappers, taking notes on TV shows and peering into Trivia question-writer Jim Oliva's shopping cart at the mall is about to be put to the test.

"You can always say you're ready for the contest," Hamus said. "But you're never fully prepared."