The building at 1110 Old County Road went up in 1910. Back then it was the Chanticleer Ice Cream and Candy Shop, run by a Mrs. Barrett and her daughter Winifred. Today it houses Jolly's Old Fashioned Teas Cream, which calls the building one of the last surviving pieces of Belmont's original main street. The storefront also shows up in the background of a silent film called "Pop Tuttle the Fire Chief." The City says the movie was filmed in the neighborhood in 1923. Jolly's dates the storefront's appearance to 1922.
On October 18, a free walking tour will stop inside that shop to eat ice cream and screen the film. That stop shows how the city has laid out its centennial. San Mateo County LAFCO records Belmont's incorporation date as October 29, 1926. Nearly every event marking the 100th birthday happens within a few blocks of the old depot, Twin Pines Park, Sixth Avenue and Old County Road. This month, the oldest part of town is where the celebrating happens.
The Old Main Street Still Serves Ice Cream
Jolly's started as an ice-cream trailer run by Jason "Jolly" Herrick and Vanessa "Essie" Greene. Later they moved into the historic building on Old County Road. The menu is built around tea-inspired ice cream and tea service. Herrick makes the ice cream, and Greene is the brand's creative partner.
Jolly's turns up twice on the centennial calendar. It's the midpoint of the October 18 history walk, and it's on the City's list of food trucks for Centennial Fest on October 24. So one business connects the city's 1920s main street to its 2026 birthday party.
The other local name on the festival lineup is Alpha Acid Brewing Company, at 121 Industrial Road, Suite 11. Founder Kyle Bozicevic started homebrewing in 2005 and opened the brewery in 2014. Alpha Acid will sell the beer at the festival, and the Park Boosters will sell wine.
October 18 Follows the Old Town Map
The guided tour runs Sunday, October 18, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. It's free, but space is limited and you have to register. It starts at the Twin Pines Senior Center, 20 Twin Pines Lane, then goes through Twin Pines Park and the downtown neighborhood to the train station. Volunteer historian Chuck Cotten will point out landmarks of Belmont's oldest neighborhood from the platform.
The City's notice calls that platform the place "once considered the Hub of the Peninsula." The Belmont Historical Society used the same phrase as the title of a 1978 book. The rail history goes back further than most commuters would guess. The line was finished in 1864. The railroad added a Belmont depot in August 1867, and it stood until 1952. Caltrain runs the current station.
The rail line also explains another story Cotten plans to tell, about flower farms. Belmont Historical Society historian Russel Estep wrote that local growers raised flowers, that some people called Belmont the state's flower capital, and that trains carried the blooms to East Coast markets. The City's notice also mentions speakeasies, gangsters, military outposts, rock stars and Olympians. The Historical Society has records on some of these:
- Military history. During World War II, U.S. Army troops used the Belmont Airport site in what's now Sterling Downs. A separate post, Camp Belmont, hosted the 76th Field Artillery Battalion in 1942.
- Olympians. Patsy Elsener Homan said she grew up mostly in Belmont and San Mateo, in an account archived by the LA84 Foundation. She won silver and bronze medals in diving at the 1948 Olympic Games.
- Speakeasies, gangsters and rock stars. The City's notice gives no names or addresses, so you'll have to take the tour to hear those stories.
After the ice cream stop at Jolly's, the tour heads back to Twin Pines Park past the historic homes on Waltermire Street. The Belmont Historical Society's History Room at 30 Twin Pines Lane will be open until 5 p.m. for anyone who wants to keep going.
October 24, Hour by Hour
Centennial Fest is the city's main celebration, and all of it happens on the same few blocks the tour covers the Sunday before. The City lists it from 1:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 24.
- Noon to 3 p.m. Intermittent street closures along the parade route.
- 1:30 p.m. The vintage car parade leaves Chula Vista Drive and Alameda de las Pulgas. It goes north on the Alameda, right onto Ralston Avenue heading east, then right onto Sixth Avenue. Only invited participants drive in it, with a cap of 50 cars, and it ends at a car show on the 1000 block of Sixth Avenue near City Hall.
- 3:30 p.m. The time capsule ceremony in front of the Twin Pines Senior Center and Parks and Recreation Office. The community chose the contents through a survey earlier this year, and the City says it will publish the full list closer to the event. The FAQ doesn't say when the capsule will be opened. The Rotary Club of Belmont & Redwood Shores donated the time capsule memorial.
- After the ceremony. The festival moves into Twin Pines Park, with live music on two stages, including EZ Motion and Trevor & The Long Haul. There will also be games.
- 7:30 p.m. A drone show featuring art by Belmont youth.
The festival is free to attend. Food, drinks and centennial merchandise cost money. Here's the vendor lineup from the City's FAQ, which says it may change:
| Category | Who's serving |
|---|---|
| Beer | Alpha Acid Brewing |
| Wine | Park Boosters |
| Food and drink trucks | Jolly's Old-Fashioned Teas Cream, Kona's Ice, Travelin Tom's Coffee, Jika's Kitchen, Respectable Bird, Sam's Chowder Mobile, Jaylis Cocina, Me So Hungry Too |
You're welcome to bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks, and the City suggests takeout from local restaurants. It's illegal to bring open alcoholic drinks into the park. There will be a few tables and benches, so the City recommends bringing chairs and blankets, the same as for Concert in the Park and Movies in the Park.
Leave the Car at Home
The City's parking advice points the same way as the rest of the plans. Twin Pines Park and Sixth Avenue will be closed to traffic. The FAQ says parking will be limited and suggests the Caltrain lot, Notre Dame de Namur University, or nearby streets. It also asks people to carpool, bike or walk if they can. The FAQ doesn't mention a shuttle.
If you park at Caltrain, you'll be standing on the same platform the tour visits six days earlier, a short walk from the park. For the drone show, the City says the best view is right in front of City Hall. You can also see it from clearings in Twin Pines Park and from the park's parking lots.
Centennial pins cost $4, shirts $25 and hats $15. They're sold only at community events and at the Parks and Recreation Office, 30 Twin Pines Lane, during regular business hours. Payment is by credit card or Apple Pay only, so cash won't work. Money from these items goes directly to centennial programs. The separate online Centennial Swag Shop doesn't send any income to the City.
The Week After, and the Actual Birthday
The Belmont Boo Bash comes back to Twin Pines Park on Wednesday, October 28. It includes Trunk or Treat, haunted buildings, live music and local food trucks. Two City notices give different start times. The event listing says 5 to 7 p.m., and the October 2 weekly bulletin says 5:30 to 7 p.m. Check the City calendar that week before you head over.
The next day, Thursday, October 29, is exactly 100 years since incorporation. The City hasn't announced an event for that date. Instead, it's challenging the community to hold 100 celebrations over the centennial year. That could mean a dinner with neighbors, a walk with friends, a coffee or happy hour, or a block party. Email [email protected] with details to get your gathering counted and to set up a pickup time for a party bag with cups, napkins, stickers and small centennial items, while supplies last. The City's Centennial Stories podcast on Spotify has interviews with long-time residents, if you'd like some background before you host.
Belmont's fourth annual free Diwali celebration follows on Saturday, November 7, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Twin Pines Senior and Community Center, with performances and crafts. The City says all event details may change, and it posts updates at belmont.gov/100years.
A street with a 1910 building still serving customers usually has a well-kept record behind it, and that record is part of what makes Belmont a place people choose. Wherever your family's story fits into the town's history, Debbie Livingston is glad to share what she knows about these blocks. She can also help you plan your next step, whether you're starting a home search or want a free valuation of the home you already have here.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
