Plans are moving full speed ahead as a committee puts finishing touches on a 50th anniversary celebration for Riverbank High School.

The planning committee for the golden anniversary next month continues to organize the events it plans to host during the two-day celebration. The group will next meet on Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 5:30 p.m. at Pizza Plus in downtown Riverbank, their base of operations.

The anniversary celebration is being held in conjunction with the RHS football Homecoming game on Friday, Sept. 22.

To kick off the celebration, the group plans to start the day before the big game. They’re planning what they’re calling the Alumni Brew ‘n Crawl for downtown that Thursday.

According to the committee, the event will begin on Sept. 21, at Pizza Plus and the Plaza del Rio. Live music there and pizza will be available from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Red Carpet, across Santa Fe Street from Pizza Plus, will be offering drink specials. And alumni will be offered drink specials at the 108 Sports Lounge, on Atchison, with two-dollar tacos and two-dollar beer until 2 a.m., according to the committee’s announcement.

For Friday’s official Homecoming festivities, the committee is encouraging alumni who are available to come to the downtown area to participate in the Homecoming Parade.

There is also an Alumni Reception planned during the JV game Friday night, beginning at 5 p.m. and continuing until the fourth quarter of the early game.

At the stadium, a pre-game show will honor Riverbank Bruin Band and alumni band members, including an Olympic-style march around the track, with alumni groups organized by decade/class.

At half-time, the Homecoming Queen and King will be crowned, and committee members are hoping former Homecoming royalty will come and participate.

An After-Party will be held at the 108 Sports Lounge again on Friday, featuring live music and alumni drink specials.

The committee is asking local alumni to help gather their former classmates and ask them to show their Bruin pride by joining in these events. They’re asked to wear their class jackets, Homecoming sashes, crowns, T-shirts, whatever they have to show their pride.

Committee members are planning to award a ‘spirit bear’ to the most spirited class at the event. It will be displayed in the RHS office until next year’s Homecoming game, committee officials said.

The committee is also hoping to communicate with alumni on its Facebook page @RHS50thanniverary, with a FB Event established for Sept. 22 called “RHS Homecoming 50th Anniversary Alumni Welcome.”

And committee organizers remind alumni that, “Once a Bruin, Always a Bruin!”