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Think you know New York City? Like, really know it, down to its neighborhoods, geography and lore? Then head to the Panorama Challenge this week, an intense battle of wits that’s back after a four-year hiatus.
Officially the largest NYC-themed trivia game, the Panorama Challenge uses the iconic Panorama of the City of New York as its game board. The event is on Friday, April 12, and is hosted by City Reliquary at the Queens Museum; get tickets here for $20/person.
RECOMMENDED: See vintage Statue of Liberty tattoos at this new City Reliquary exhibit
The epic Panorama Challenge puts history at your feet—literally. Competitors gather around the massive Panorama of the City of New York exhibit, a scale model of NYC built for the World's Fair in 1964. Miniature skyscrapers, apartment buildings, bridges, parks, and rivers fill the model, which is basked in light imitating sunrise and sunset. Tiny airplanes even take off atop the miniature city.
Emcee Gary Dennis will preside over the evening with long-time tour guide Jonathan Turer serving as quizmaster with a "new batch of mind-bending questions." This year’s trivia topics include "Awkwafina," "SNL & Staten Island," and "Fame," so you may want to brush up on those categories.
As quizmaster, Turer says he takes notes for good questions and categories all year long. "That’s a lot of ‘alone time’ in preparation and knowing that over two hundred people enjoy it so much is great motivation," he tells Time Out New York.
If you want to participate, there are two options. Advanced competitors can register as Panorama Pros; they'll get twice as many questions per round. For the slightly less die-hard history nerds, there's the Panorama Challengers category that promises easier questions. Be sure to register here, then buy a ticket. Just a heads up that tickets are going really fast.
After two rounds and the classic Halftime Quiz, the winning pro team will join the ranks of past winners when its name is etched on the Panorama Challenge Trophy housed at the Queens Museum.
A panel of esteemed judges will be in charge of refereeing the festivities. This year’s panel includes notable New Yorkers Kevin Walsh, webmaster of the acclaimed Forgotten New York blog; Michael Miscione, former Manhattan Borough Historian and expert on sewer gator lore; Michelle Myles, owner of Daredevil Tattoo and local tattoo history tour guide; DeeAnne Gorman from the board of the Greater Astoria Historical Society; former municipal employees Mitch Paluszek and Steve Scofield; and Moses Gates, Vice President for Housing and Neighborhood Planning with the Regional Plan Association.
The event's quizmaster says he's looking forward to welcoming a few impressive returning teams and seeing if they can win the trophy this year. Turer also expects some promising new teams who may pose a tough challenge to "the regulars."
For more fun and games, Harmony Hardcore (a.k.a. City Reliquary’s 2023 Miss Subways) will perform at halftime and DJ Frankie Teardrop will play ’64 Fair-era tunes all night.
This year’s Panorama Challenge is the 13th event, though its annual cadence was interrupted by the pandemic. Now it’s finally back and ready to daunt and delight New Yorkers with a playful night of puzzles.