Parks and Recreation
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This Parks and Rec trivia quiz has 143 free questions with answers and covers all seven seasons of NBC's Parks and Recreation, from Leslie Knope's first pit-filling crusade to the flash-forwards of the finale. Expect questions on the parks department itself (Ron's alter ego, Tom's business schemes, April and Andy's whirlwind wedding, Jerry's real name), on Pawnee lore (the town slogan, Sweetums, the raccoons, the Eagleton merger) and on the running gags fans quote most: Treat Yo Self, the Cones of Dunshire, the Meat Tornado and 5,000 Candles in the Wind. The questions range from easy warm-ups any casual viewer will get to genuinely hard ones about the finale timeline, the show's Emmy record and the cast's original contracts. It works for a solo replay, a watch-party round or a themed pub quiz. Every answer was checked against episode records and Wikipedia's Parks and Recreation articles, and each question shows its source once you have answered, so you can settle any argument the moment it starts.
30 of 143 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01In which fictional town is "Parks and Recreation" primarily set?
Pawnee
The series "Parks and Recreation" takes place in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, a community known for its quirky residents and sometimes bizarre local government.
Q 02What is Leslie Knope's job in Pawnee's city government for the first three seasons of Parks and Recreation?
Deputy Director of Parks
Deputy Director of Parks is her post for most of the run, which puts her on committees like the Fun in the Sun Committee and the Task Force to Reduce the Number of Public Restrooms; in season four she wins a council seat.
Q 03What is the secret musical alter ego of Ron Swanson?
Duke Silver
Duke Silver fronts the Duke Silver Trio on saxophone, with albums such as Smooth as Silver, and plays only out-of-town bars so that nobody at city hall finds out.
Q 04Who hosts the Pawnee talk show 'Pawnee Today'?
Joan Callamezzo
Joan Callamezzo hosts 'Pawnee Today' and runs a book club that guarantees local sales, which is why Leslie and Tom both end up courting her.
Q 05Which character initially lives in a pit next to Ann Perkins' house?
Andy Dwyer
Andy Dwyer, Ann's boyfriend, breaks both legs falling into the pit behind her house and then camps in it after she dumps him; Chris Pratt was credited only as a guest star in season one.
Q 06Which political ideology does Ron Swanson consistently advocate?
Libertarianism
Libertarianism: Ron was partly modelled on a real Libertarian official the writers met in Burbank, who admitted to not really believing in the mission of the job.
Q 07Before leaving the Pawnee government, what was Mark Brendanawicz's profession?
City Planner
City Planner: Mark takes a buyout during the government shutdown and leaves for a private construction firm, and a furious Leslie brands him 'Mark Brendanaquits'.
Q 08Which food does Leslie Knope order in huge quantities at JJ's Diner?
Waffles
Waffles: Leslie buries them in whipped cream at JJ's Diner, and when the diner is bought out in the final season she joins the town's protests to save it.
Q 09Which California city's real city hall stood in for Pawnee City Hall in exterior shots?
Pasadena
Pasadena City Hall, finished in 1927, plays Pawnee's in exterior shots; the offices were a soundstage set whose windows were rigged to simulate falling rain.
Q 10Why does Jerry Gergich get a 'sweet sixteen' party when he turns 64?
A leap-day birthday
A leap-day birthday: born on February 29, Jerry has a true birthday only every four years, and Leslie throws the party after the whole office forgets it.
Q 11Which possession does Donna Meagle care about most deeply?
Her Mercedes-Benz
Her Mercedes-Benz: when a stray shot on the hunting trip takes out its window, Donna screams for the car and barely registers that Ron has been hit as well.
Q 12What do Ron Swanson's two ex-wives have in common?
Both are named Tammy
Both are named Tammy, as is Ron's mother, and when his mother and his first ex-wife fight over him in a drinking contest, Ron ends it by draining the jug himself.
Q 13Which two writers created Parks and Recreation?
Greg Daniels and Michael Schur
Q 21Which word is Chris Traeger's catchphrase, drawn out for emphasis whenever he says it?
Literally
Literally: Chris stretches it into 'LIT-rally' while calling something the best ever; Rob Lowe was booked for eight guest episodes and stayed until season six.
Q 22Why did Tom Haverford change his name from Darwish?
For politics
For politics: Tom, a South Carolina native with Indian parents, says he reckoned a name like Tom Haverford would carry him further in government than his own.
Q 23In the Parks and Recreation season three finale, Tom quits city hall to start Entertainment 720 with which character?
Jean-Ralphio Saperstein
Greg Daniels and Michael Schur prepared by studying local California politics and consulting officials, one of whom became the basis for a character.
Q 14Parks and Recreation aired from 2009 to 2015 on which US network?
NBC
It ran as part of the network's Thursday 'Comedy Night Done Right' block, alongside The Office and 30 Rock.
Q 15What does Tom Haverford call the vacuum cleaner he has fitted with a music player?
DJ Roomba
DJ Roomba: Jerry breaks it in its first episode and Tom accuses him of killing it, and the episode ends with it dressed as a ghost, trailing Jerry through the halls.
Q 16Although it aired in 2015, the seventh and final season is set in which year?
2017
The jump let the writers give Pawnee tablet-toting drones, holographic ads and a Gryzzl-dominated future.
Q 17Parks and Recreation began life as a planned spin-off of which sitcom?
The Office
The Office: the spin-off plan was dropped because the writers could not find the right fit, but the new series kept the same mockumentary style.
Q 18In what role does Ben Wyatt first arrive in Pawnee at the end of season two?
State auditor
State auditor: Ben and Chris Traeger arrive from Indianapolis to slash Pawnee's budget in 'The Master Plan'; Ben stays, marries Leslie and later becomes city manager.
Q 19What is the name of the notoriously complicated board game Ben Wyatt invents?
The Cones of Dunshire
The Cones of Dunshire: Mayfair Games, the publisher of Catan, helped design the prop, and in 2014 fans played a full version at the Gen Con convention for charity.
Q 20Which food is Ben Wyatt's running-joke obsession, complete with a dream restaurant pitch?
Calzones
Calzones: Ben dreams up the Low-Cal Calzone Zone while unemployed and going stir-crazy at home, and his friends tease him about the folded pizzas for the rest of the series.
Jean-Ralphio Saperstein and Tom blow Entertainment 720's entire budget on NBA players and a fleet of iPads, and the company collapses within a season.
Q 24What was Rent-A-Swag, one of Tom Haverford's business ventures?
Clothing rentals for teens
Clothing rentals for teens: the shop does well until a rival opens a copycat store across the street and pressures Tom into selling.
Q 25Tom Haverford's marriage to Wendy, revealed in season two, was arranged for what reason?
A green card
A green card: Wendy, a Canadian, married Tom so she could stay in the United States; the sham falls apart when Tom develops real feelings and they divorce in season two.
Q 26What do Tom and Donna call their annual day of spending money extravagantly on things they do not need?
Treat Yo Self
Treat Yo Self: once a year Tom and Donna blow their money on clothes, fragrances, massages, mimosas and fine leather goods, and on its first outing they drag a glum Ben along.
Q 27On Tom and Donna's spending spree, what does a heartbroken Ben Wyatt buy before bursting into tears?
A Batman costume
A Batman costume: at first Ben can only bring himself to buy socks, then he picks the full suit and breaks down over his split from Leslie.
Q 28What is the name of Andy Dwyer's rock band, after its many name changes?
Mouse Rat
Mouse Rat: the other three options are all names the band used earlier, and in 2021 the fictional group put out a real record, The Awesome Album.
Q 29Andy Dwyer's recurring alter ego, Burt Macklin, works for which agency?
The FBI
The FBI: Burt Macklin is more than a game, since April notices that all of Andy's dream jobs involve law enforcement and pushes him to try for the police.
Q 30In Parks and Recreation's final season, Andy hosts a children's television show as which character?
Johnny Karate
Johnny Karate: the show's last broadcast fills a whole episode, because April's new job in Washington means Andy has to give it up.