diff --git a/.bumpversion.cfg b/.bumpversion.cfg
index 97840e4275..c56d45dc8e 100644
--- a/.bumpversion.cfg
+++ b/.bumpversion.cfg
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 [bumpversion]
-current_version = 50.3.2
+current_version = 51.0.0
 commit = True
 tag = True
 
diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index 567b2bac76..55133876e9 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -1,3 +1,23 @@
+v51.0.0
+-------
+
+
+Breaking Changes
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+* #2435: Require Python 3.6 or later.
+
+Documentation changes
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+* #2430: Fixed inconsistent RST title nesting levels caused by #2399
+  -- by :user:`webknjaz`
+* #2430: Fixed a typo in Sphinx docs that made docs dev section disappear
+  as a result of PR #2426 -- by :user:`webknjaz`
+
+Misc
+^^^^
+* #2471: Removed the tests that guarantee that the vendored dependencies can be built by distutils.
+
+
 v50.3.2
 -------
 
diff --git a/changelog.d/2430.doc.1.rst b/changelog.d/2430.doc.1.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index d09e0b9e7b..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/2430.doc.1.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-Fixed a typo in Sphinx docs that made docs dev section disappear
-as a result of PR #2426 -- by :user:`webknjaz`
diff --git a/changelog.d/2430.doc.2.rst b/changelog.d/2430.doc.2.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 0ac8782323..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/2430.doc.2.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-Fixed inconsistent RST title nesting levels caused by #2399
--- by :user:`webknjaz`
diff --git a/changelog.d/2435.breaking.rst b/changelog.d/2435.breaking.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index d29c60eb39..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/2435.breaking.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Require Python 3.6 or later.
diff --git a/changelog.d/2471.misc.rst b/changelog.d/2471.misc.rst
deleted file mode 100644
index 5bd42a6d98..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/2471.misc.rst
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Removed the tests that guarantee that the vendored dependencies can be built by distutils.
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 0d3fdcf682..570bd2889b 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ formats = zip
 
 [metadata]
 name = setuptools
-version = 50.3.2
+version = 51.0.0
 description = Easily download, build, install, upgrade, and uninstall Python packages
 author = Python Packaging Authority
 author_email = distutils-sig@python.org