73+ Summer Trivia Questions & Answers (Fun Quiz)
Story by:
Kyle Boureston
How are you with summer trivia?
All seasons are special in their own way, but there’s a certain je ne sais quoi about summer that makes it truly one of a kind. Long days, warm nights, and zero layers — it just doesn’t get better than that!
So, how about some summer trivia questions that you can use to break the awkward silence at your next beach party?
Contents
10 Best Summer Trivia
Curious to learn the best summer trivia we could dig out? The following list will ensure that you and your friends will have a cool and fun time in the warmest season of the year.
1. What Old English word did the word “Summer” come from?
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Answer
Sumor.
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Not much of a change there![/learn_more]
2. When did the first swimming school open in the United States?
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Answer
1827
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The school was founded on July 23, 1827, in Boston, MA, by German-American intellectuals and polymaths Francis Lieber and Charles Follen, who also introduced gymnasiums to the U.S. educational system.[/learn_more]
3. The term SPF is seen on all sunscreen bottles. What does it stand for?
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Answer
Sun protection factor.
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You should use sun protection every day. Regular use of SPF 15 can reduce the risk of melanoma by 50%. Plus, it helps with premature aging. The trick, however, is to apply it properly. Be sure to check out this video on the most common mistakes people make when putting on sunscreen. [/learn_more]
4. Which president hosted the first barbecue at the White House?
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Answer
Lyndon B. Johnson.
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President Johnson held the first “formal” White House barbecue on the South Lawn to thank his supporters after announcing that he would not be running for reelection. However, presidential BBQs had been a thing since the time of Washington. [/learn_more]
5. What is the longest continuous beach in America?
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Answer
Long Beach, WA.
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It’s 28 miles long![/learn_more]
6. When was “the year without summer” because Mount Tambora erupted?
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Answer
1816
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The most destructive eruption in the past 10,000 years killed an estimated 10,000 inhabitants of the island of Sumbawa in an instant. Volcanic debris in the atmosphere chilled the Northern Hemisphere for months, resulting in epidemics, crop failure, and famine, which killed thousands in Europe and North America.[/learn_more]
7. What is the oldest beach in America?
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Answer
Revere Beach in Revere, MA.
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In 1896, it became America’s first public beach.[/learn_more]
8. What is the longest day of the year?
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Answer
Summer solstice.
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The word “solstice” comes from the Latin “solstitium” or sun-stopping. [/learn_more]
9. What U.S. holiday unofficially signifies the end of the summer season?
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Answer
Labor Day.
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It is celebrated on the first Monday of September. Traditionally, Labor Day was considered the last day of the year when it was acceptable to wear white clothing.[/learn_more]
10. What is the most sold item in the summer?
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Answer
Swimsuits.
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What else would it be?[/learn_more]
11. In what country is the biggest water park in the world?
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Answer
Germany.
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Tropical Islands Resort is located 30 miles south of Berlin and can host up to 6,000 visitors at a time! It’s also open year-round. [/learn_more]
12. In what city is the ice cream sandwich believed to be invented?
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Answer
New York City.
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Originally, street vendors would sell ice cream sandwiched between sheets of paper. These delicacies were known as “hokey pokeys.” Mercifully, at some point, someone decided to use cookie wafers instead. [/learn_more]
13. What do kids who like whizzing around but have limited balance and coordination use instead of skateboards?
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Answer
Razor scooters.
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It’s much easier if you have something to hold on to![/learn_more]
14. What are the measurements of the largest inflatable pool toy? 70.52 x 50.31 x 54.41 feet.
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Answer
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It’s shaped like a giant blue swan. [/learn_more]
15. Before the Civil War, kids had school off during which season?
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Answer
Spring and fall.
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That’s right: kids were needed at home to help plant and harvest the crops in spring and fall, which probably wasn’t their idea of off-school fun. [/learn_more]
16. In which year was ice pops invented by an 11-year-old boy?
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Answer
1905
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11-year-old Frank Epperson mixed water and sweetened soda powder, dunked a wooden stirrer in, and left the mixture out in the cold overnight. He called the result an “Epsicle.”[/learn_more]
17. What famous Walt Disney character’s first words were “hot dog”?
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Answer
Mickey Mouse.
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Mickey first spoke in the short film The Karnival Kid (1929).[/learn_more]
18. What national competition was first held on June 17, 1925?
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Answer
The first National Spelling Bee.
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It was held in Washinton D.C. with 9 contestants.[/learn_more]
19. In Southern England, where do 35,000 people gather to see the summer solstice?
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Answer
Stonehenge.
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Stonehenge is at least 5,000 old! [/learn_more]
20. Which park hosts a massive meet-and-mate night for fireflies?
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Answer
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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The event is held annually in late May or early June. [/learn_more]
21. What do goats climb on every June in Morocco?
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Answer
Argan trees.
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Moroccan goats can effortlessly climb argan trees as tall as 8–10 meters to feast on their leaves and fruit. [/learn_more]
22. Where do people from all over the world gather for a reunion of the Finks?
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Answer
Fink, TX.
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Where else would it be?[/learn_more]
23. Who holds the largest collection of surfboards, according to Guinness World Records?
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Answer
Donald Dettloff.
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As of November 5, 2009, Donald Dettloff had a whopping 647 surfboards![/learn_more]
24. Where is the World Margarita Championship held each August?
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Answer
Tuscon, AZ.
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The festival features tastings of Margaritas and tequilas, cocktail competitions, food sampling, live music, and art events. [/learn_more]
25. Where did the largest summer bikini parade take place on August 19, 2012?
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Answer
Huludao City, Liaoning, China.
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1,085 people participated![/learn_more]
26. Which tower actually grows in the heat of the summer?
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Answer
The Eiffel Tower.
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On colder days, the tower is around 6 inches shorter.[/learn_more]
27. What year was the first beach ball invented?
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Answer
1938
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The first beach ball was invented by Jonathon DeLonge, and it was the size of a hand. [/learn_more]
28. What festival is held every July in Louisville, Kentucky?
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Answer
The Annual Lebowski Fest
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The Annual Lebowski Fest, a weekend-long celebration of the cult film classic The Big Lebowski (1998).[/learn_more]
29. How did ancient pagans celebrate midsummer?
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Answer
They lit bofire
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Among other things, they would light bonfires and jump over them.[/learn_more]
30. How tall was the tallest bonfire ever recorded?
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Answer
155 feet
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The world’s largest bonfire was lit in the town of Ålesund, Norway, on June 25, 2016. At its highest point, it measured an imposing 155 feet and 5.9 inches, and it burned for two days straight.[/learn_more]
31, Which music artist had a hot dance hit called “Summer Love”?
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Answer
Justin Timberlake
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Surely you remember that one? [/learn_more]
32. What happens more often in the summer because of the warm, humid air? Thunderstorms.
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Answer
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There are some 16 million thunderstorms every year, but most happen in the summer months. [/learn_more]
33. Which place holds a hotdog contest on Independence Day?
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Answer
Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York City
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Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has been an annual tradition since 1972. [/learn_more]
34. Which beach sport became official in 1986?
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Answer
Beach volleyball
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People first started playing beach volleyball around 1915 in Hawaii. The game grew in popularity over the years and was eventually recognized as a sport by the International Volleyball Federation in 1986.[/learn_more]
35. What flower thrives in summer because it loves the sun?
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Answer
Sunflower
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Once the plants reach maturity, however, they stop following the sun and only face east. [/learn_more]
36. What horror film directed by Steven Spielberg takes place in the summertime and involves sharks?
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Answer
Jaws (1975)
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Jaws was a massive hit, grossing a record $21+ million in its first 10 days in theaters. [/learn_more]
37. Which insects are most prevalent during the summer months?
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Answer
Mosquitoes
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Most insects, including mosquitoes, are cold-blooded. Their body temperature is about the same as the temperature of their environment. As a result, lower temperatures can slow down their development or even kill them.[/learn_more]
38. What is the last day of summer?
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Answer
September 22 or 23
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In the Southern Hemisphere, however, summer ends on February 28 or 29.[/learn_more]
39. What is the date for the first day of summer?
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Answer
June 20 or 21
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And that would be December 22 for the Southern Hemisphere.[/learn_more]
40. Which insect sounds can you use to find out the temperature?
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Answer
Cricket chirps
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You can learn how to do that here. [/learn_more]
41. When did Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech?
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Answer
August 28, 1963
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He gave the speech in front of an audience of some 250,000 people at the 1963 March on Washington. [/learn_more]
42. How hot was the temperature in the Libyan Desert on September 13, 1922?
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Answer
136 degrees Fahrenheit
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On that day, the Libyan town of Al Aziziyah set the record of being the hottest place on Earth. Since then, however, that record has been broken many times — which tells you something about climate change. [/learn_more]
43. What star is associated with the phrase “the dog days of summer”?
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Answer
Sirius
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To the ancient Greeks and Romans, the “dog days” was the period in late July when Sirius appears to rise just before the sun. Typically, this was the hottest time of the year, and it was thought to bring war, disease, and disasters.[/learn_more]
44. Which resort boasts the highest number of pools in the world?
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Answer
Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickinson
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The five-star Malaysian resort boasts a staggering 639 pools.[/learn_more]
45. How long is the largest cruise ship?
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Answer
Four football fields
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The 18-decker Symphony of the Seas is 1,188 feet long and has 2,759 cabins, 22 restaurants, and 24 pools.[/learn_more]
46. When was the first women’s bathing suit created (which was actually a pair of bloomers)?
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Answer
1800’s
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Mid-19th century bathing suits covered women from head to toe and consisted of a dress worn over Turkish-style pants. The whole ensemble was made from heavy fabric that was anything but swimmer-friendly.[/learn_more]
47. The month of June is named after which Roman goddess?
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Answer
Juno
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Juno was the wife of the king of the gods, Jupiter. She was the goddess of marriage and childbirth. [/learn_more]
48. The month of July was named by Roman general Marc Antony July after who?
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Answer
Julius Caesar
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And August was named after Augustus, Rome’s first emperor.[/learn_more]
49. Which sport made its debut at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil?
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Answer
Rugby sevens
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Prior to that, rugby union was last played at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris.[/learn_more]
50. Which sport has been a part of the Summer Olympic Games since their inception in 1896?
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Answer
Cycling
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The only exception was the 1912 Games in Stockholm.[/learn_more]
51. Which water sport is not in the Summer Olympics?
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Answer
Surfing
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In 2016 the International Olympic Committee voted to include surfing, as well as baseball, karate, skateboarding, softball, and sport climbing in the 2020 Summer Olympics.[/learn_more]
52. Which European city hosted the 2004 Summer Olympics?
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Answer
Athens
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That marked a return of the Games to their birthplace.[/learn_more]
53. In stickball, a broomstick is used as a bat. What is the ball called?
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Answer
Spaldeen
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Traditionally, stickball was played on streets and in back alleys using a hard rubber ball and a broomstick or a mop handle. [/learn_more]
54. What game was once featured in the Olympics?
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Answer
Tug-of-war
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Tug-of-war was part of the Olympics from 1900 to 1920.[/learn_more]
55. How many baths can you take using the water in an Olympic-size pool?
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Answer
9,400 baths
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Olympic-size pools are about 164 feet (50 m) long, 82 feet (25 m) wide, and 6 feet (2 m) deep. That makes for a volume of 88,263 cubic feet or some 660,253.09 gallons of water![/learn_more]
56. When were the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens, Greece?
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Answer
Summer of 1896
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The Games were extremely popular. The marathon alone was watched by 100,000 spectators.[/learn_more]
57. These were originally invented as pie plates, but college students began throwing them around in the 1940s.
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Answer
Frisbees
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In 1871, William Frisbie opened his Frisbie Pie Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Local college students came up with a game where they would throw empty pie tins to each other, yelling “Frisbie!” One thing led to another, and by 1958, the Wham-O company (which also introduced the hula-hoop to the mass market) was selling Frisbee discs. [/learn_more]
58. It is the favored portable food when people camp, go to the ballpark, or at a family picnic.
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Answer
Hot dog
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Duh![/learn_more]
59. True or false: Watermelon consists of over 90% water.
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Answer
TRUE
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In terms of water content, watermelon is up there with cantaloupe, grapefruit, and strawberries. [/learn_more]
60. What food was endorsed by Brazilian surfers and jiu-jitsu fighters?
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Answer
Acai bowl
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The acai palm tree is indigenous to the Amazon. Native people call it the “fruit that cries.”[/learn_more]
61. Which brand name is associated with the bright red, icy cold bottle of root beer?
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Answer
Hires
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Hires Root Beer is America’s second-oldest soft drink. It first hit the stores in 1876.[/learn_more]
62. According to the Watermelon Board, how many varieties of watermelons are there?
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Answer
More than 1,000
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The watermelon was first domesticated in West Africa thousands of years ago. [/learn_more]
63. Who is the record holder for the longest barbecue that lasted 80 hours?
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Answer
Jan Greef
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He grilled 1,000 hotdogs, 558 burgers, 526 sausages, 200 pieces of corn, and 104 pieces of chicken.[/learn_more]
64. What is the best vegetable summer treat belonging to the cucumber family?
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Answer
Watermelon
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The Cucurbitaceae family also includes gourds. However, the jury is still out on whether watermelon is a fruit or a veggie. [/learn_more]
65. What is the national ice cream month? July
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Answer
July
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President Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of July as National Ice Cream Day.[/learn_more]
66. Name the 1980s girl band that sang about the cruelest summer breakup ever.
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Answer
Bananarama
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Their song “Cruel Summer” is #13 on Billboard magazine’s list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.[/learn_more]
67. Which reggae artist covered Mungo Jerry’s summer song “In the Summertime”?
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Answer
Shaggy
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The cover version is every bit as laidback as the original. [/learn_more]
68. Which song was featured in the movie “Caddyshack”?
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Answer
“Summertime Blues”
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“Summertime Blues” was originally written and recorded by rockabilly singer Eddie Cochran.[/learn_more]
69. Who created the original version of “Wipe Out”?
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Answer
The Surfaris
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“Wipe Out” was the summer hit of 1962. [/learn_more]
70. This artist performed “The Ultimate Pop Burlesque Rockshow” at Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival.
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Answer
Lady Gaga
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21-year-old Lady Gaga and performance artist Lady Starlight created the show as a tribute to 1970s variety acts. [/learn_more]
71. Lana Del Ray evoked nostalgia for summers with what song?
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Answer
“Summertime Sadness”
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“Summertime Sadness” was featured in Lana Del Ray’s 2012 album Born to Die. [/learn_more]
72. Since it began in 1971, this festival has been attracting 20,000 people each year.
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Answer
Ukulele Festival Hawaii
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If you are in Hawaii, make sure to check the festival out. It’s great fun![/learn_more]
73. Where is the Underwater Music Festival held?
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Answer
Looe Key Reef in Florida
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The festival is part of an effort to raise awareness for coral preservation.[/learn_more]
Ultimate List of Summer Trivia
Contents
Summer Trivia for Kids
Children love summer more than anyone, which is why this selection of summer trivia for kids is a great way for them to have fun and effortlessly learn cool new facts in the process!
12 Fun Summer Trivia
Summer is about having fun whether you spend it on the beach, going on a vacation somewhere nice or just staying at home. Check out the summer-themed fun trivia questions!
9 Easy Summer Trivia
Summer is about chilling with friends. Take it easy with these cool easy trivia questions that should do the trick!
9 Hard Summer Trivia
Ask your friends if they have what it takes to tackle our hard trivia. From insects to historical facts, test their knowledge now!
9 Summer Sports Trivia
Summer is the season for outdoor sports. Check these sports trivia questions and brush up on your sports knowledge.
8 Summer Food Trivia
Calling all foodies! What do you say to a fresh serving of summer-themed food trivia? See if you know a thing or two about the perfect food for summer.
8 Summer Music Trivia
These music trivia are perfect for summer. With the abundance of music festivals playing different kinds of music, this should be easy!
Summer Trivia Video
Summer Trivia Infographic
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Downloadable and Printable List of Summer Trivia
Here is a downloadable list of summer trivia (right-click the image and select Save Image As…):
Frequently Asked Questions
Here Is How to Pick the Best Summer Trivia
Picking the best trivia is easier than you think! Just follow the steps below and you’ll definitely pick the best ones!
- Stick to Popular Subjects. “Summer” is quite a broad topic, so you might want to narrow it down a bit by sticking to popular subjects such as summer sports, foods, blockbusters, or chart-topping music hits. As an added bonus, that should also help things on the lighter side. Summer generally goes best with more cheerful trivia.
- Mix things up. Broad topics such as this one are a great opportunity to branch out and explore various trivia that may not always go together. Who would have thought that Frisbees and Lana Del Ray had something in common?
- Consider your audience. As always, you want to match your trivia to your audience. Questions about games, ice cream, and cartoons are a perfect fit for kids. In contrast, teenagers might appreciate trivia about summer songs, movies, and sports. And what about adults? While they can certainly try their hand at just about any topic, you still want to keep things interesting for them by choosing subjects they are interested in.
More Awesome Trivia Questions
Would you like to check out some more awesome trivia questions?
-
- Be sure to read our travel trivia.
- Next, head over to our Christmas vacation trivia.
- Top it all off with these 4th of July trivia.
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