diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index c2b5eb29754..4d51890b5cf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
-# Runs the complete test suite incl. many external command line dependencies (like Openbabel)
-# as well as the pymatgen.ext package. Coverage is computed based on this workflow.
 name: Release
+# Runs the complete test suite before making a PyPI release
 
 on:
   release:
@@ -56,7 +55,7 @@ jobs:
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Build wheels
-        uses: pypa/cibuildwheel@v2.16.2
+        uses: pypa/cibuildwheel@v2.16.5
         env:
           CIBW_BUILD: cp${{ matrix.python-version }}-*
 
diff --git a/docs/CHANGES.md b/docs/CHANGES.md
index 65db43b92c7..2eb502a6431 100644
--- a/docs/CHANGES.md
+++ b/docs/CHANGES.md
@@ -6,6 +6,46 @@ nav_order: 4
 
 # Changelog
 
+## v2024.2.8
+
+### 🐛 Bug Fixes
+
+* Fix `Vasprun.get_potcars` search method; tweak fake POTCARs by @esoteric-ephemera in https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/pull/3587
+
+### 🛠 Enhancements
+
+* Aims input sets by @tpurcell90 in https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/pull/3482
+* Add `SiteCollection.reduced_formula` property by @janosh in https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/pull/3610
+* Add `Entry.(formula|reduced_formula)` by @janosh in https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/pull/3611
+* VASP IO `copy()` methods by @janosh in https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/pull/3602
+
+### 📖 Documentation
+
+* Adding FHI-aims inputs developers by @tpurcell90 in https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/pull/3592
+
+### 🧹 House-Keeping
+
+* chore: fix a typo by @VsevolodX in https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/pull/3609
+
+### 🧪 Tests
+
+* Add tests for the New Vasp input sets by @Zhuoying in https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/pull/3576
+
+### 🏥 Package Health
+
+* Switch macOS wheel building to new M1 runners by @janosh in https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/pull/3596
+
+### 🤷‍♂️ Other Changes
+
+* Fix text formatting in `bug_report.yaml` by @Andrew-S-Rosen in https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/pull/3589
+* Minor update to avoid deprecation warning by @kavanase in https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/pull/3601
+
+## New Contributors
+
+* @VsevolodX made their first contribution in https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/pull/3609
+
+**Full Changelog**: https://github.com/materialsproject/pymatgen/compare/v2024.1.27...v2024.2.8
+
 ## v2024.1.26
 
 ### 🐛 Bug Fixes
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 805556cadaa..711af187c32 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 setup(
     name="pymatgen",
     packages=find_namespace_packages(include=["pymatgen.*", "pymatgen.**.*", "cmd_line"]),
-    version="2024.1.27",
+    version="2024.2.8",
     python_requires=">=3.9",
     install_requires=[
         "matplotlib>=1.5",