diff --git a/posts/2025-08-10-grails-7-rc1.md b/posts/2025-08-10-grails-7-rc1.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9e02a9ea6fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/posts/2025-08-10-grails-7-rc1.md
@@ -0,0 +1,249 @@
+---
+version: 7.0.0-RC1
+priorVersion: 7.0.0-M5
+title: Apache Grails (Incubating) [%version] - Release Announcement
+date: July 10, 2025
+description: The Apache Grails (incubating) community is excited to announce the Milestone [%version] release of the Grails Framework!
+author: James Fredley
+image: grails-blog-index-3.png
+
+---
+
+# [%title]
+
+[%author]
+
+[%date]
+
+[%description] \
+We encourage you to try this pre-release version and provide your feedback [here](https://github.com/apache/grails-core/issues).
+
+## Download Source Code and Binary Distributions
+
+[Apache Grails Downloads](/download.html)
+
+## What's Changed
+For changes made in Grails 7 prior to [%version], check out the following blog posts: 
+* [Grails 7.0.0-M1](/blog/2024-12-23-grails-7-m1.html)
+* [Grails 7.0.0-M3](/blog/2025-03-05-grails-7-m3.html)
+* [Grails 7.0.0-M4](/blog/2025-06-10-grails-7-m4.html)
+* [Grails 7.0.0-M5](/blog/2025-07-15-grails-7-m5.html)
+
+### [%version] Changes:
+* Add permissions to release environments by @jdaugherty in #14795
+* Asset plugin forking compiler @jdaugherty (#14948)
+* Update base, web and rest-api profiles to more closely match Forge @jamesfredley (#14942)
+* #14886 - add licensing to distributed shadowJar @jdaugherty (#14945)
+* Add non-default, optional virtual thread feature to Forge for Java 24+ @jamesfredley (#14941)
+* remove: pdf publishing due to licensing issues & no longer using inside of Grails documentation @jdaugherty (#14940)
+* Update to spring-boot 3.5.4 & groovy 4.0.28 @jamesfredley (#14934)
+* feature: add grails-dependency proposal @jdaugherty (#14924)
+* Enhance CreateReleaseDropDownTask so it can be reused by grails-spring-security @jamesfredley (#14929)
+* remove old asm & AnnotationMetadataReader supporting classes; adopt SimpleMetadataReaderFactory @jdaugherty (#14922)
+* Set spring boot dev tools as a default feature in forge to match profiles @jamesfredley (#14921)
+* Use version variables + minor copy and formatting adjustments @jamesfredley (#14908)
+* Dependency minor/patch version updates before 7.0.0-RC1 @jamesfredley (#14909)
+* Fix build performance issues @jprinet (#14895)
+* Merge 7.0.0 m5 release tag @jamesfredley (#14907)
+* Enhance documentation for grails-shell vs grails-forge CLIs, plus Gra… @jamesfredley (#14906)
+* Add version support message for IntelliJ Grails Plugin @jamesfredley (#14905)
+* Update GitHub repository homepage URL @jamesfredley (#14902)
+* Deprecated Removals @jdaugherty (#14901)
+* Fix snapshot docs URL, currently only appears on snapshot docs @jamesfredley (#14900)
+* Restore Sitemesh3GrailsPlugin @jdaugherty (#14891)
+* Wrapper Improvements found by M5 Release @jdaugherty (#14896)
+* Fix issue reported by GitHub CodeQL @matrei (#14936)
+* fix: #14918 adjust the class loader used for command loading to ensure the delegating cli can find all commands @jdaugherty (#14926)
+* fix: #14910 - make property files reproducible by default (per day) @jdaugherty (#14919)
+* fix: issues found by M5 release verification @jdaugherty (#14904)
+* fix: #13705 - revert changes to Metadata from micronaut removal @jdaugherty (#14897)
+* fix: #13668 - update for SpringBoot resource split into subclass @jdaugherty (#14888)
+* #14930 - make views reproducible by sorting views always @jdaugherty (#14946)
+* build(deps): bump google-github-actions/auth from 2.1.10 to 2.1.11 @dependabot[bot] (#14939)
+* build(deps): bump google-github-actions/setup-gcloud from 2.1.4 to 2.1.5 @dependabot[bot] (#14938)
+* fix: #14910 - make property files reproducible by default (per day) @jdaugherty (#14919)
+* doc: #14892 - update RELEASE.md for workflow changes and grails-forge repo merge @jdaugherty (#14893)
+* fix: #13705 - revert changes to Metadata from micronaut removal @jdaugherty (#14897)
+
+Full Changelog: [v[%priorVersion]...v[%version]](https://github.com/apache/grails-core/compare/v[%priorVersion]...v[%version])
+
+Upgrade instructions are available in the [documentation](https://docs.grails.org/[%version]/guide/single.html#upgrading60x). 
+
+## Dependency Upgrades
+In this release, we've upgraded several dependency versions, including but not limited to the following:
+
+* Asset Pipeline 5.0.12 (now cloud.wondrify.asset-pipeline)
+* Groovy 4.0.28
+* Spring Framework 6.2.9
+* Spring Boot 3.5.4
+* Gradle 8.14.3
+* See all in the [grails-bom](https://docs.grails.org/[%version]/ref/Versions/Grails%20BOM.html).
+
+## Generating a new Grails [%version] application with Grails Forge
+Try out Grails today by visiting our online application generator [Grails Forge](https://start.grails.org). This is the quickest and the recommended way to get started with Grails.
+
+After installing JetBrains' IntelliJ IDEA 2025.2 or later and the [Grails Plugin](https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/18504-grails), the Grails Application Forge will also be available under New Project in IntelliJ IDEA. 
+
+Within your newly generated project you can access the Grails CLIs with the Grails Wrapper.
+
+See the [Types of CLI](https://docs.grails.org/[%version]/guide/gettingStarted.html#_types_of_command_line_interface_cli) section in the documentation for details on each CLI.
+
+grail-shell-cli
+
+```shell
+grailsw
+```
+
+grails-forge-cli
+
+```shell
+grailsw -t forge
+```
+
+## Installing Grails CLIs [%version] with SDKMan
+Alternatively, you can quickly install Grails [%version] CLIs (grails-shell-cli and grails-forge-cli) using [SDKMan](https://sdkman.io).
+
+See the [Types of CLI](https://docs.grails.org/[%version]/guide/gettingStarted.html#_types_of_command_line_interface_cli) section in the documentation for details on each CLI.
+
+1. If you don't have SDKMan installed, follow the instructions at [SDKMan Installation Guide](https://sdkman.io/install) to set it up.
+2. Once SDKMan is installed, open your terminal and run the following command to install Grails [%version]:
+
+    ```shell
+    sdk install grails [%version]
+    ```
+
+3. You're all set! To verify the installation, run:
+
+    ```shell
+    grails --version
+    ```
+
+The Grails Shell CLI can be accessed as:
+
+```shell
+grails
+``` 
+or
+```shell
+grails-shell-cli
+```
+The Grails Forge CLI can be accessed as:
+```shell
+grails -t forge
+```
+or
+```shell
+grails-forge-cli
+```    
+
+## Upgrading Your Existing Applications to Grails [%version]
+If you already have a Grails application and want to upgrade to the latest version, follow these steps:
+
+1. Open the project in your favorite IDE (preferably JetBrains' IntelliJ IDEA 2025.2 or later).
+2. Update your application's `gradle.properties` file to specify Grails [%version] as the desired version.
+
+    ```properties
+    grailsVersion=[%version]
+    ```
+
+3. Make any necessary adjustments to your application code, configuration, and dependencies to ensure compatibility with
+   the new version. [See Upgrade Guide](https://docs.grails.org/[%version]/guide/single.html#upgrading60x)
+
+Normally, Grails Core dependencies are automatically updated using the Grails Bill of Materials (BOM). However, if you
+have specific versions defined in your build configuration, you may need to manually update them to align with
+Grails [%version].
+
+By following these steps, you should be able to transition your existing Grails application to Grails [%version].
+
+### Exploring Alternative Approaches
+If manual dependency updates seem daunting, or you want a more streamlined approach, consider the following alternatives:
+
+#### 1. Use Grails Forge Website
+Visit [Grails Forge](https://start.grails.org) and generate a new Grails application with Grails [%version]. Compare the
+versions in the newly generated application with your existing one to identify any discrepancies. This can serve as a
+reference point for your update.
+
+#### 2. Automated Dependency Update Bots
+Configure automated dependency update bots like [Renovate](https://docs.renovatebot.com) or
+[Dependabot](https://dependabot.com) with your source control platform (e.g., GitHub). These bots can automatically
+detect and update outdated dependencies in your project, including Grails dependencies, saving you time and effort in
+manual updates.
+
+With these steps and alternative approaches, you should be well on your way to enjoying the exciting features and
+improvements in Grails [%version].
+
+## Why should you try out Grails [%version]?
+* Help us test this major upgrade of the Grails Framework and provide feedback.
+* Be ready for when Grails 7 is released.
+
+## Grails 7 Release Schedule
+* We will continue to work on [updating and fixing issues](https://github.com/orgs/apache/projects/487/views/2) over the next few
+  weeks.
+* Based on feedback, an Apache Grails RC or Final release is targeted for September 2025.
+
+## Apache Grails Mailing Lists
+### Users Mailing List
+The users mailing list will be a General purpose list for questions and discussion about Grails.\
+**Web Archive:** [https://lists.apache.org/list.html?users@grails.apache.org](https://lists.apache.org/list.html?users@grails.apache.org) \
+**Subscribe:** Send a blank email to [users-subscribe@grails.apache.org](mailto:users-subscribe@grails.apache.org)
+
+### Dev Mailing List
+The dev mailing list is focused on the framework implementation and its evolution. \
+**Web Archive:** [https://lists.apache.org/list.html?dev@grails.apache.org](https://lists.apache.org/list.html?dev@grails.apache.org) \
+**Subscribe:** Send a blank email to [dev-subscribe@grails.apache.org](mailto:dev-subscribe@grails.apache.org)
+
+When participating in mailing lists, you should never include any personally identifiable information (PII) like
+your address, phone number or email address, as all messages sent to these lists are publicly accessible and archived,
+meaning anyone can view your information. Make sure your email client does not add your signature with these items.
+
+## Thank you!
+A huge thank you to our amazing community for supporting the Grails Framework over the past 20 years! We’re excited for
+the future and grateful for the opportunity to continue innovating and pushing Grails forward together.
+
+## Contributors
+We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the contributors who made Grails [%version] possible. \
+Special thanks to:
+
+* [James Daugherty](https://github.com/jdaugherty)
+* [James Fredley](https://github.com/jamesfredley)
+* [Mattias Reichel](https://github.com/matrei)
+* [Scott Murphy](https://github.com/codeconsole)
+* [Brian Koehmstedt](https://github.com/bkoehm)
+* [Søren Berg Glasius](https://github.com/sbglasius)
+* [Paul King](https://github.com/paulk-asert)
+* [Jonas Pammer](https://github.com/JonasPammer)
+* [Gianluca Sartori](https://github.com/gsartori)
+* [David Estes](https://github.com/davydotcom)
+* [Michael Yan](https://github.com/rainboyan)
+* [Jude Vargas](https://github.com/JudeRV)
+* [Thomas Rasmussen](https://github.com/dauer)
+* [Laura Estremera](https://github.com/irllyliketoast)
+* [Hallie Uczen](https://github.com/shadowchaser000)
+* [Jérôme Prinet](https://github.com/jprinet)
+* [Stephen Lynch](https://github.com/lynchie14)
+* [Andrew Herring](https://github.com/dreewh)
+* [Yasuharu Nakano](https://github.com/nobeans)
+* [Aaron Mondelblatt](https://github.com/amondel2)
+* [Arjang Chinichian](https://github.com/arjangch)
+* [Felix Scheinost](https://github.com/felixscheinost)
+* [gandharvas](https://github.com/gandharvas)
+* [zyro](https://github.com/zyro23)
+
+Recent Contributors by Project:
+
+* [grails-core](https://github.com/apache/grails-core/graphs/contributors[%6MonthsBackForGitHub])
+* [grails-spring-security](https://github.com/apache/grails-spring-security/graphs/contributors[%6MonthsBackForGitHub])
+* [grails-static-website](https://github.com/apache/grails-static-website/graphs/contributors[%6MonthsBackForGitHub])
+* [grails-forge-ui](https://github.com/apache/grails-forge-ui/graphs/contributors[%6MonthsBackForGitHub])
+* [grails-quartz](https://github.com/apache/grails-quartz/graphs/contributors[%6MonthsBackForGitHub])
+* [grails-gradle-publish](https://github.com/apache/incubator-grails-gradle-publish/graphs/contributors[%6MonthsBackForGitHub])
+* [grails-redis](https://github.com/apache/grails-redis/graphs/contributors[%6MonthsBackForGitHub])
+* [grails-github-actions](https://github.com/apache/grails-github-actions/graphs/contributors[%6MonthsBackForGitHub])
+
+[Combined Commit List](https://github.com/search?q=repo%3Aapache%2Fgrails-core+repo%3Aapache%2Fgrails-spring-security+repo%3Aapache%2Fgrails-static-website+repo%3Aapache%2Fgrails-forge-ui+repo%3Aapache%2Fgrails-quartz+repo%3Aapache%2Fincubator-grails-gradle-publish+repo%3Agrails-redis+repo%3Agrails-github-actions+is%3Apublic&type=commits&s=committer-date&o=desc)
+
+Their dedication and hard work have significantly contributed to the release of Grails [%version].
+
+Join the [Grails Slack Community](https://grails.slack.com), share your feedback, and contribute to making Grails Framework even better in
+the future. Happy coding!
+