22 Years Later, Dave Matthews Bus Poop Incident Makes Chicagoans Laugh — And Groan

Views of Downtown Chicago on the Chicago River aboard the Chicago Water Taxi on Sept. 29, 2023. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club ChicagoWhy the fascination? “The hate for Dave Matthews and the love for poop jokes,” mused Jeremy Scheuch, creative director for Riot Fest. Some Chicagoans have even taken to conspiracy theories, like imagining Dave Matthews himself pulled the lever. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club ChicagoFor Frisbie, the story of the Chicago River incident is a story of positive change. Hundreds of people plunge into the Chicago River on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, for the first official Chicago River Swim in nearly 100 years.