A teacher and a musician are the driving force behind what could be one of the biggest parties Chilliwack has ever seen.

Chilliwack secondary teacher Steve Anderson and ubiquitous local musician Trevor McDonald have already signed up almost 1,000 people for a March event to celebrate the city's downtown high school.

The Chilliwack senior secondary (CSS) "Hello, Goodbye..." celebration is a two-day party to toast the opening of the new school while remembering more than 60 years in the current facility.

Since CSS opened in 1950, tens of thousands of students, staff and faculty have passed through the hallways. On the Facebook page McDonald has set up to promote the event, more than 3,000 people have been invited to attend and, as of Monday, 978 had confirmed attendance.

Still, McDonald and Anderson want to put the word out far and wide to make it even bigger.

The March 1 and 2 party kicks off Friday with tours of both schools every half hour followed by a "through-the-years" multimedia presentation in the gym, which will include memorabilia, photos and video from 1950 to the present.

The CSS band and choir (with some special guests) will celebrate

six decades of music from 4 to 7 p.m. and a CSS alumni social is planned for the Coast Hotel from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

The tours in the school continue Saturday in addition to a bus tour every hour around Chilliwack. There will be a CSS alumni co-ed basketball game, more of the multimedia presentation followed by the big event, the "Hello, Goodbye Wind Up Dance" at the Landing Sports Centre from 7: 30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Music will be performed by a CSS house band consisting of alumni over the years along with special guest alumni joining the band on stage.

? For more info a website is in the works but in the meantime, visit "Chilliwack Senior Secondary Hello Goodbye" on Facebook.

phenderson@chilliwacktimes.com