Wednesday, July 30, was the hottest day of the year, according to the local TV meteorologists, with a heat index of 103 degrees. Nevertheless, about 60 people showed up at Chestnut Hill’s Wednesday Trivia Night, held every week outdoors in front of the Chestnut Hill Brewing Company in the Market at the Fareway.
For the last eight years, Steve Silverberg, who has years of experience working on TV game shows, has been Chestnut Hill’s version of Alex Trebek, the late, longtime host of TV’s classic Q&A game show, “Jeopardy,” which has been running five times a week for 61 years. If you’re a trivia buff, Market at the Fareway is the place to be on a Wednesday night, regardless of the weather.
Since 2011, Silverberg, who graduated from Temple University, has also been working for a company called Text Breakers, which sends him to host trivia contests at area retirement homes as well as Fortune 500 companies such as Penske, Aramark, and Mars. His biggest group was 600 people. “When Covid hit,” he said, “I did 160 shows in 12 months for them, all virtual. You give me a microphone, and I’ll give you a show.”
Silverberg, who grew up in Cheltenham, said, “The most experienced trivia buffs know to get a reservation in advance. The Fareway’s outdoor tables fill up fast. This is all year round, whether it’s 10 degrees or 100 degrees out. Some nights all the seats are taken. The most we ever had was 110 [people].”
Trivia Night started in October 2017, as a way to bring new customers to the Chestnut Hill Brewing Company, and it certainly succeeded. The Wednesday night I attended, every table in the restaurant was occupied by the time the games began at 7 p.m. Several diners even chose to eat outdoors while playing.
Silverberg said the only time since 2017 when the “trivia tables” were empty was during the first four months of the pandemic, from March to June 2020. And even then, they continued to play online. “Most people come weekly,” Silverberg said. “They have become family to me. There is no quicker way to get people to bond than by playing trivia. My whole thing is enjoy yourself and don’t cheat.”
Trivia Night consists of three rounds of questions. The first round contains 10 general information queries such as these examples: What was the first country to use paper currency? What does ‘Jolie’ (as in Angelina) mean in French? What do you call musicians who play on the street for donations? How many varieties (of food products) does Heinz have? What was the name of Desi Arnaz’s wife on TV?
For the second round, Silverberg hands out a sheet of paper with headshots of 18 celebrities, each with a common theme. For example, during the second round on July 30, every boldfaced last name began with the letters “Co” (Cooper, Connery, Coppola, Costner, Cobain, Colbert, Cox, Collins). This is harder than it seems.
The third round also has a theme, which might be American history, music, Philly sports, or something more esoteric. That evening, every question was about something short: What is the shortest Zodiac sign by letter? What was the shortest name of a Spice Girl? What was the shortest name of Disney’s seven dwarfs? What is the shortest name for an Ivy League university? What is the shortest name of an element on the periodic table?
Roxborough’s Cate Mundy, a regular attendee, told the Local, “In 2020, I was taking advantage of the great outdoor space at Chestnut Hill Brewing. On one occasion, I ended up there on a Wednesday and discovered the awesomeness that is Trivia Night with Steve. My nights at trivia have since transcended from a tranquil pause during anxious and uncertain times to a true community of support, celebrating each other’s wins both in and out of trivia.”
Chestnut Hill’s Elias Grim added, “I’ve been going to trivia since shortly after it started. I love having a weekly community event, a casual trivia where everyone goes to just have fun. It is always enjoyable whether I attend by myself or with my regular team.” That’s right, some people arrive with teams.
A delicate balance
“In every round at least one person will usually get all or almost all of the questions right,” Silverberg explained the day after the event. “Last night I think I made some of the questions too hard. I want it just hard enough for people to enjoy it. If they are too hard, people get frustrated; if they are too easy, people will lose interest. ... I walk around and help people with the answers, maybe give some suggestions. It is a chance to talk to people.”
“I’m just trying to make it enjoyable for everyone. In fact, one girl said last night, ‘I don’t know if you remember me, but I came four years ago when I was a senior in high school.’ She went away to college for four years, and now she’s back. I actually remember where she sat … It’s not a cutthroat competition, but one night I had an entire Taylor Swift Night. Every question was about her. I actually got a few things wrong, and some of her fans got really aggressive.”
Swiftie aggression notwithstanding, it’s mostly all fun and games. But Silverberg noted there’s also a prize: “The winning team gets a $25 gift card to the brewery.”
Trivia Night at Chestnut Hill Brewing Company, 8221 Germantown Ave., every Wednesday night at 7-9 p.m. For more information, contact chestnuthillbrewingcompany.com or 215-247-0330. Len Lear can be reached at LenLear@chestnuthilllocal.com.
