diff --git a/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.17.rst b/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.17.rst
index 18bf3d45020..2f3ccf5d13b 100644
--- a/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.17.rst
+++ b/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.17.rst
@@ -4,6 +4,29 @@ ansible-core 2.17 "Gallows Pole" Release Notes
 
 .. contents:: Topics
 
+v2.17.0rc1
+==========
+
+Release Summary
+---------------
+
+| Release Date: 2024-04-29
+| `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.17/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.17.html>`__
+
+Removed Features (previously deprecated)
+----------------------------------------
+
+- Removed Python 2.7 and Python 3.6 as a supported remote version. Python 3.7+ is now required for target execution.
+
+Bugfixes
+--------
+
+- Fix handlers not being executed in lockstep using the linear strategy in some cases (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/82307)
+- ansible-config will now properly template defaults before dumping them.
+- ansible_managed restored it's 'templatability' by ensuring the possible injection routes are cut off earlier in the process.
+- dnf5 - replace removed API calls
+- facts - add a generic detection for VMware in product name.
+
 v2.17.0b1
 =========
 
@@ -180,6 +203,7 @@ Bugfixes
 - ansible-galaxy info - fix reporting no role found when lookup_role_by_name returns None.
 - ansible-galaxy role import - exit with 1 when the import fails (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/82175).
 - ansible-galaxy role install - fix installing roles from Galaxy that have version ``None`` (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/81832).
+- ansible-galaxy role install - fix symlinks (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/82702, https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/81965).
 - ansible-galaxy role install - normalize tarfile paths and symlinks using ``ansible.utils.path.unfrackpath`` and consider them valid as long as the realpath is in the tarfile's role directory (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/81965).
 - ansible-inventory - index available_hosts for major performance boost when dumping large inventories
 - ansible-pull now will expand relative paths for the ``-d|--directory`` option is now expanded before use.
diff --git a/changelogs/changelog.yaml b/changelogs/changelog.yaml
index 27c14616f0b..249e3aee9ba 100644
--- a/changelogs/changelog.yaml
+++ b/changelogs/changelog.yaml
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ releases:
       - ansible-galaxy role import - exit with 1 when the import fails (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/82175).
       - ansible-galaxy role install - fix installing roles from Galaxy that have version
         ``None`` (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/81832).
+      - ansible-galaxy role install - fix symlinks (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/82702,
+        https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/81965).
       - ansible-galaxy role install - normalize tarfile paths and symlinks using ``ansible.utils.path.unfrackpath``
         and consider them valid as long as the realpath is in the tarfile's role directory
         (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/81965).
@@ -622,3 +624,31 @@ releases:
     - winrm-timeout.yml
     - yum-removal.yml
     release_date: '2024-04-08'
+  2.17.0rc1:
+    changes:
+      bugfixes:
+      - Fix handlers not being executed in lockstep using the linear strategy in some
+        cases (https://github.com/ansible/ansible/issues/82307)
+      - ansible-config will now properly template defaults before dumping them.
+      - ansible_managed restored it's 'templatability' by ensuring the possible injection
+        routes are cut off earlier in the process.
+      - dnf5 - replace removed API calls
+      - facts - add a generic detection for VMware in product name.
+      release_summary: '| Release Date: 2024-04-29
+
+        | `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.17/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.17.html>`__
+
+        '
+      removed_features:
+      - Removed Python 2.7 and Python 3.6 as a supported remote version. Python 3.7+
+        is now required for target execution.
+    codename: Gallows Pole
+    fragments:
+    - 2.17.0rc1_summary.yaml
+    - 82307-handlers-lockstep-linear-fix.yml
+    - ansible_managed_restore.yml
+    - config_init_fix.yml
+    - dnf5-api-breaks.yml
+    - python-support.yml
+    - vmware_facts.yml
+    release_date: '2024-04-29'
diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/2.17.0rc1_summary.yaml b/changelogs/fragments/2.17.0rc1_summary.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..17c1370effa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/2.17.0rc1_summary.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+release_summary: |
+   | Release Date: 2024-04-29
+   | `Porting Guide <https://docs.ansible.com/ansible-core/2.17/porting_guides/porting_guide_core_2.17.html>`__
diff --git a/lib/ansible/release.py b/lib/ansible/release.py
index f85ae9f8b9d..e0e44dcf46c 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/release.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/release.py
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-__version__ = '2.17.0b1.post0'
+__version__ = '2.17.0rc1'
 __author__ = 'Ansible, Inc.'
 __codename__ = "Gallows Pole"