Chicago Remembers Infamous ‘Dave Matthews Band Poopgate’ 20 Years Later

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Today is an anniversary of one of the stinkiest moments in Chicago history. That’s right, it’s the 20th anniversary of Dave Matthews Band Tour Bus Poop Dumping Incident.

On the afternoon of August 8, 2004, a Dave Matthews Band tour bus illegally dumped human waste onto a grated bridge. Unfortunately a Chicago River sightseeing cruise just happened to be passing under the grated bridge at the time covering them with poop.

The Dave Matthews Poopgate Incident Still Stinks After 20 Years ... #DMB #DaveMatthews #DaveMatthewsBand #Chicago #Poopgate Share on X

Chicago Remembers Infamous “Dave Matthews Band Poopgate” 20 Years Later

Let’s hold our noses and try to relive one of Chicago’s stinkiest days and the trauma it inflicted on river cruise passengers.

It was supposed to be a routine architectural tour along the Chicago River for the passengers aboard the small sightseeing boat. As they cruised under the Kinzie Street Bridge on an August day in 2004, they had no idea of the fecal storm about to be unleashed upon them. High above, the driver of a Dave Matthews Band tour bus made the inexplicable decision to empty the vehicle’s sewage tank directly onto the tourists below.

A shocking 800 pounds (~55 gallons) of human waste plunged from the bridge, drenching a Chicago Architecture River Cruise Tour boat in the most horrifyingly memorable case of “when it rains, it pours” in Chicago history. The putrid waste saturated the boat and its horrified occupants. One woman vomited out the window while the boat frantically drove to shore. Others were hospitalized with severe gastrointestinal illness after being drenched by the poop.

After being presented with security camera evidence, the bus driver eventually confessed to illegal dumping, paid a fine, and served 18 months of probation. Essentially a fecal-free slap on the wrist.

A shocking 800 pounds (~55 gallons) of human waste plunged from the bridge, drenching a Chicago Architecture River Cruise Tour boat in the most horrifyingly memorable case of ‘when it rains, it pours’ in Chicago history.

Plaques Commemorate Spot Where Tour Bus Dumped 800 Pounds of Poop

Even though the Dave Matthews Band Poopgate incident took place two decades ago, the traumatic event is far from forgotten for those who found themselves up crap creek that summer afternoon. An emotional scar with a faint yet lingering stench seems to follow survivors to this day, a cruel reminder of the ordeal.

Last year, on the 19-year anniversary of the incident, Chicago residents commemorated the infamous “Dave Matthews Poopgate” with a professional looking plaque created by the Riot Fest Historical Society. The sign humorously reads, “No one died that day. But many wish they had.”

This isn’t the first memorial created to help remember the stinky anniversary. Simple handwritten signs have been created in the past.

Chicago Remembers Infamous Dave Matthews “Poopgate” 20 Years Later

The Dave Matthews band has stayed mostly silent about the incident. But Poopgate will forever leave a stench attached to the Dave Matthews Band’s reputation in the Windy City.

How Chicago residents will remember the 20th anniversary of the Dave Matthews Band Poopgate incident still remains to be seen. But we doubt an event of this historical importance to the city of Chicago will pass unnoticed.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the infamous Poopgate Dave Matthews Band tour bus incident. The anniversary marks a dark day in Chicago's history. #davematthewspoopgate #tourbusdumping #architecturaltour #chicagohistory… Share on X