Join the Centennial festivities Saturday, October 24, 2026
Belmont is celebrating its 100th birthday tomorrow, Saturday, October 24! Although the City’s official incorporation anniversary isn’t until October 29, 1926, the community will be celebrating a few days early with a vintage car parade, a Centennial time capsule ceremony, live music, food, family activities, and a spectacular evening drone show.
For those of us who have called Belmont home for many years, it’s an opportunity to celebrate not only our City’s history, but the people, neighborhoods, and traditions that make Belmont such a special place to live.
A Glimpse of Belmont More Than 140 Years Ago
If you’ve been following our “Streets Around Us” series on the Beautiful Mountain Blog, you know how much we enjoy exploring the history behind Belmont’s streets, landmarks, and the people who helped shape our community.
In honor of the Centennial, we thought we’d share something particularly interesting: an artist’s rendering of early Belmont from an 1885 real estate promotional flyer, which we’ve colorized and annotated to help bring this fascinating piece of local history to life.
[Insert colorized historical Belmont illustration here]
What makes this drawing especially remarkable is the artist’s perspective. It depicts Belmont from an elevated, almost aerial vantage point that doesn’t appear to correspond to an actual overlook. Remember, this was 1885, long before aerial photography became commonplace!
We’re impressed by the artist’s ability to imagine and illustrate an entire community from above, including its buildings, roads, railroad, and surrounding hills.
Look closely and you’ll recognize some familiar names: El Camino Real, Old County Road, O’Neill Avenue, Waltermire Avenue, Emmett Avenue, and Ralston Avenue. You can also see the Southern Pacific Railroad running parallel to El Camino Real, along with many of the homes, businesses, and landmarks that made up early Belmont.
It’s fascinating to imagine how different everyday life must have been, yet how many elements of that original community remain recognizable today.
And what better way to connect the Belmont of yesterday with the Belmont of today than by celebrating its 100th birthday together?
Belmont Centennial Celebration — Saturday, October 24
The City has planned an afternoon and evening of activities for residents of all ages.
1:30 PM — Vintage Car Parade & Show
The celebration kicks off with a parade of vintage automobiles traveling along Alameda de las Pulgas, east on Ralston Avenue, and onto Sixth Avenue, where the cars will be displayed.
The City’s latest parade-route advisory identifies the starting point as Immaculate Heart of Mary Church at 1040 Alameda de las Pulgas.
3:30 PM — Centennial Time Capsule Ceremony
A special ceremony will take place in front of the Twin Pines Senior & Community Center, commemorating Belmont’s first 100 years and preserving memories for future generations.
4:00 PM — Centennial Festival at Twin Pines Park
The celebration continues in Twin Pines Park with live music, food trucks, games, family activities, Alpha Acid, and more.
It’s a wonderful opportunity to get together with friends and neighbors and celebrate our shared community.
7:30 PM — Centennial Drone Show
The evening concludes with a special drone show featuring artwork created by Belmont youth.
What a memorable way to celebrate our City’s first century!
Help Belmont Reach 100 Community Celebrations
The festivities don’t end on Saturday!
The City is encouraging residents to organize 100 community celebrations throughout the Centennial year. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. A dinner with neighbors, a neighborhood walk, a coffee gathering, or a block party all count.
The City is even offering Centennial party bags with commemorative items while supplies last.
To register your gathering, contact centennial@belmont.gov.
More Belmont History Worth Exploring
For those who enjoy local history as much as we do, we also recommend an excellent article in Carlmont High School’s student newspaper, Scot Scoop News.
Staff writer Saanvi Deeya recently published “Belmont Anticipates 100-Year Celebration”, featuring interviews with City officials and an interesting timeline of Belmont’s growth over the past century.
It’s encouraging to see the next generation taking such an interest in the community’s history.
You can also explore the City of Belmont’s Centennial webpage for additional event information, and review the City’s Centennial news release and events information.
Here’s to Belmont’s Next 100 Years!
As longtime Belmont residents and local real estate professionals, Christine and I have always appreciated the character, history, and sense of community that make this such a wonderful place to call home.
Our City’s landscape has changed dramatically since that 1885 illustration, and even more since Belmont officially became a city in 1926. But its history remains an important part of its identity.
We hope you’ll have a chance to participate in Saturday’s festivities, or at least stop by and enjoy some of the celebration.
Happy 100th Birthday, Belmont!
Here’s to honoring our past, celebrating our community, and looking forward to the next 100 years.
As always, Thank for reading along…
MORGANHOMES, Inc.
Helping People Make Good Decisions
