"For our birthday month this October, we invite everyone to take part, learn something new about Belmont, and celebrate the people and places that have shaped our city over the past 100 years."
City Manager Afshin Oskoui said that in the City of Belmont's October 2 press release on the centennial. Look closely at the event schedule and almost all of it lands in one place. The parade ends on Sixth Avenue. The time capsule ceremony happens in front of the Twin Pines Senior & Community Center. The festival, the drone show, the open mic night and the Halloween party all use Twin Pines Park or the buildings around it. The one event that leaves the park, a free history walk, starts there and heads down toward the train station.
So for one month, the civic block at Twin Pines Lane and Sixth Avenue works as Belmont's town square. Below is how the month fits together, in order.
The Park Got Its Creek Back First
Twin Pines Park was in better shape this fall than it had been in years. The City now lists the Twin Pines Park Belmont Creek Restoration Project as complete. Staff will monitor and maintain the site for the next five years to make sure it works as intended.
According to the City, Belmont Creek had worn down inside the park over time. Urban runoff, channelization and invasive plants caused bank erosion and stripped away streamside vegetation. The eroded soil washed downstream into the flatter part of the creek and reduced its capacity. Crews removed invasive plants, regraded and replanted the eroded banks, and stabilized the channel. Along with less erosion and better habitat, one stated goal was more chances to view the creek from inside the park.
The work cost $1.6 million in total. A $1,000,000 Urban Streams Restoration Grant from the California Department of Water Resources covered most of it. The other $600,000 was local money from Belmont's Measure I, the City of San Carlos and the County of San Mateo. Below the park, Belmont Creek flows through the unincorporated Harbor Industrial Area, along the San Carlos border, before it reaches the Bay. Those October crowds will be standing next to a creek that three local governments paid to repair.
Sunday, October 18: Walk the Route Before the Party
The best preview of the big Saturday comes a week earlier. On Sunday, October 18 at 2:30 p.m., volunteer historian Chuck Cotten leads a free walking tour. It starts at the Twin Pines Senior Center at 20 Twin Pines Lane, goes through Twin Pines Park and the downtown neighborhood, and continues to the train station. The City says his stories cover Belmont's early neighborhoods, flower farms, military history, speakeasies, gangsters, rock stars and Olympians. The tour is free, but space is limited and you have to register. Sign up through the City's Centennial page.
Partway through, the tour stops at Jolly's Old-Fashioned Teas Cream at 1110 Old County Road for ice cream and a screening of the silent film Pop Tuttle the Fire Chief. It then heads back to Twin Pines Park past the historic homes on Waltermire Street. The stop has a reason behind it. Jolly's occupies a 1910 building that used to house the Chanticleer Ice Cream and Candy Shop. The shop says the building shows up in the background of Pop Tuttle the Fire Chief. The film belonged to the Plum Center series made by San Francisco's Paul Gerson Pictures Corporation. The City dates the film to 1923, and Jolly's own page says 1922. Either way, you'll watch a century-old comedy inside a storefront that appears in it, a short walk from the station.
Here's a detail for anyone keeping a list of Belmont oddities. Jolly's is at 1110 Old County Road, and the Belmont Library, where the centennial scrapbooking sessions meet, is at 1110 Alameda de las Pulgas.
The town's name comes from an even older story. William Chapman Ralston bought a villa here in 1864, expanded the estate and called it "Belmont," and the town took that name. Belmont didn't incorporate until 1926, which is the anniversary the city is celebrating this month.
Saturday, October 24: The Day, Hour by Hour
Centennial Fest runs from early afternoon until after dark. Here is the order of events, based on the City's press release and FAQ.
- Noon to 3 p.m. Streets along the parade route close on and off.
- 1:30 p.m. A vintage car parade leaves Chula Vista Drive and Alameda de las Pulgas. It heads north on the Alameda, turns right onto Ralston Avenue going east, then right onto Sixth Avenue.
- After the parade The cars park for a show on the 1000 block of Sixth Avenue, near the front of City Hall. The parade is invitation-only, with a maximum of 50 cars.
- 3:30 p.m. The Centennial time capsule ceremony takes place in front of the Twin Pines Senior & Community Center. Community members picked the contents through a survey earlier this year, and the City has said it will publish the full list closer to the event. A donation from the Rotary Club of Belmont & Redwood Shores paid for the time capsule memorial.
- Late afternoon into evening The festival takes over Twin Pines Park, with live music on two stages, food trucks and games. Bands include EZ Motion and Trevor & The Long Haul.
- 7:30 p.m. A drone show featuring art by Belmont youth closes the night.
Where to stand, what to eat, how to get there
Plan your seat for the drone show before you plan dinner. The FAQ says the show is best viewed directly in front of City Hall. Clearings and parking lots around the park also have a view, but the center of the show will be in front of City Hall. City Hall is also where the car show sets up on Sixth Avenue, so if you claim a spot near the classic cars in the afternoon, you're already in place for 7:30.
The food and drink come from local vendors. Alpha Acid is selling beer and Park Boosters is selling wine. Trucks listed so far include Jolly's Old-Fashioned Teas Cream, Kona's Ice, Travelin Tom's Coffee, Jika's Kitchen, Respectable Bird, Sam's Chowder Mobile, Jaylis Cocina and Me So Hungry Too, though the City notes the lineup may change. Alpha Acid Brewing Company is a Belmont business at 121 Industrial Road #11. Founder Kyle Bozicevic opened it in 2014 after homebrewing since 2005, according to the City's business spotlight.
You're welcome to bring takeout and non-alcoholic drinks from local restaurants. Bringing opened alcohol into the park is illegal. The City is providing only a few tables and benches and suggests bringing chairs and blankets, just as for Concert in the Park and Movies in the Park. The festival is free to attend. Food, drinks and centennial merchandise are for sale.
Driving is the hardest part of the day. All of Twin Pines Park and Sixth Avenue will be closed to traffic. The City suggests parking at Caltrain, at NDNU or on nearby streets, and asks people to carpool, bike or walk if they can.
The Rest of the Month Uses the Same Block
Once you know the Saturday layout, the rest of October looks familiar. Most of the smaller events use the same buildings.
- Tuesdays, October 6, 13 and 20, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Centennial Scrapbooking drop-ins at the Belmont Library, 1110 Alameda de las Pulgas.
- Saturday, October 17, 6 to 9 p.m. A free centennial edition of Music & Open Mic Night at Twin Pines Manor.
- Sunday, October 18, 2:30 p.m. The historic walking tour, starting at the Twin Pines Senior Center.
- Saturday, October 24, starting at 1:30 p.m. Centennial Fest, around Twin Pines Park and Sixth Avenue.
- Wednesday, October 28, evening until 7 p.m. The free, all-ages Belmont Boo Bash at Twin Pines Park, with Trunk or Treat, a haunted house, live music and food trucks. The City's announcements disagree on when it starts. Its Boo Bash bulletin and Parks newsletter say 5 p.m., and the October 2 weekly news says 5:30, so check before you head over.
Belmont's Transportation Master Plan team is also taking feedback this month. It has a stop at the Farmers' Market on October 11 and one at the Belmont Library on October 13 from 2 to 5 p.m. If you go to the library for scrapbooking on the 13th, the outreach table runs at the same time.
Ways to Mark the Centennial Away From the Park
The City is also asking residents to host celebrations of their own. The goal is 100 gatherings during the centennial year. A neighborhood dinner, a walk with friends, a coffee or happy hour, or a block party all count. To have yours counted and pick up a Centennial party bag with cups, napkins, stickers and small swag items, email [email protected]. Bags are available while supplies last.
For the history without the crowds, the City's 100 Years of Belmont Memories podcast on Spotify features interviews with long-time residents. It started in January, and more episodes were promised. The Centennial page also has applications for painting fire hydrants and utility boxes, and it links to the Belmont Historical Society.
If you can only make two events, the order matters. Take the walk on the 18th, then come back on the 24th. You'll have seen the park, the creek and the old storefront on Old County Road in daylight, and you'll know exactly where City Hall is when the drones go up at 7:30.
Whether your family has been in Belmont for decades or you got here last spring, we'd love to see you around Twin Pines this month. If the centennial has you thinking about your own house in Belmont, maybe its history or what comes next for it, Fallant Team is happy to talk it through. Schedule a Consultation whenever it suits you.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
