Who was the 13th U.S. president? In what movie does Henry Hill say, “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster”? What was Lewis Carroll’s real name? If you know these answers without the help of Wikipedia, then a good trivia night might be for you. It might seem nerdy or even too stereotypically “Wash. U.” to spend a night answering trivia questions, but do it in a bar and add a plate of chicken wings, and it’s a good time.

St. Louis has plenty of trivia nights around town to try out. J. Buck’s in Clayton has recently started hosting Tenacious Trivia Tuesday nights starting at 8 p.m., with gift certificates offered to the top-scoring teams.

Mike Duffy’s in the Schnuck’s Plaza on Clayton Road in Richmond Heights holds a trivia night on Wednesdays, starting at 10 p.m., and gives away beer buckets as prizes.

Duffy’s can attract a standing-room-only crowd, so they suggest that you arrive early. It is also rumored that Brandt’s Café on the Delmar Loop may soon be bringing back its Wednesday night trivia.

Most of these events follow a similar formula: Friends show up and form a team, questions are asked, answers are written and turned in, and points are awarded. Details like category types, background music and question difficulty vary with location. For instance, Wash. U. physics majors would go to J. Buck’s for an easy win, but they’d go to Duffy’s for a real challenge.

For those who have never been to a trivia night, here are a few good things to know. First off, unless the trivia night is a onetime deal to benefit charity, it’s free to play. The games normally last a few hours. Also, just because it’s held in a bar doesn’t mean it is a 21-and-older event. If you are lucky enough to be of age,  however, there are normally some decent drink specials during the game—Duffy’s, for instance, offers $4 pitchers.

Finally, show enthusiasm! Not just to pump yourself up, but to get on the host’s good side. This way, if you make questionable spelling choices or leave out words from your answers—if you write Chuck and Larry instead of the official title “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry”—they’ll be more likely to give you a break and award you points anyway. Plus, if you don’t know an answer, handing in a completely ridiculous response will get you in with the hosts.

So if you think you’ve got the brains, stop by a local trivia night. Besides, what’s a better way to justify our $45,000-a-year education than by winning a few beers from a pop culture competition?

Oh, and in case you’re still wondering, the answers were Millard Fillmore, “Goodfellas” and Charles Dodgson.

Other Happenings:

Big Muddy Blues Festival Sept. 5-6 at Laclede’s Landing, starting each day at 1 p.m. and running until around 11 p.m. Outdoor festival featuring local and regional blues artists and groups.

Girls’ Night Out Sept. 1 at Beauty Brands, 8582 Eager Rd. (by Target), 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. A free evening of mini spa treatments, samples and food for the ladies. Go to http://www.beautybrands.com/girlsnightout to reserve a spot.

Wash. U. Happy Day at J. Buck’s in Clayton Sept. 5 at J. Bucks, 101 S. Hanley Rd., 12 p.m.-1 p.m. Bring your Wash. U. ID card for appetizer and drink specials all day.
Pirate Night Aug. 31 at Delmar Restaurant and Lounge, 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Eye patched themed night with drink specials and music.

Flannel—A Tribute to Grunge Sept. 5 at House of Rock, 5 Ronnies Plaza, Crestwood, 9 p.m. A 21-and-older show covering the best of the grunge rock era.

Japanese Festival Sept. 5-7 at the Missouri Botanical Gardens, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (Labor Day, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.) Festival of Japanese culture including tea ceremonies, Japanese gardens and more. Admission price $15.

Star Party Sept. 4, St. Louis Science Center in Forest Park, 7 p.m.-10 p.m. St. Louis Astronomical Society hosts a free event allowing all to ask questions and see the stars through provided telescopes.