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The Sundance Film Festival, a program of the nonprofit Sundance Institute, is the preeminent gathering of original storytellers and audiences seeking new voices and fresh perspectives. Since 1985, hundreds of films launched at the Festival have gone on to gain critical acclaim and reach new audiences worldwide. The Festival has introduced some of the most groundbreaking films and episodic works of the past three decades.

While the Sundance Film Festival is relocating to Boulder, the Sundance Institute will remain in Utah.

The dates for the 2027 Festival are January 21-31, 2027.

The Festival will utilize an array of venues across Boulder, incorporating spaces around Pearl Street Mall and the surrounding areas, and the University of Colorado Boulder campus. Here are the official Sundance Film Festival venues for 2027:

Theaters

Boedecker Theater — Dairy Arts Center
Boulder High School Auditorium
Boulder Theater
Casey Middle School Auditorium
Chautauqua Auditorium
Cinemark Century Boulder
eTown Hall
Gordon Gamm Theater — Dairy Arts Center
Macky Auditorium Concert Hall — University of Colorado Boulder
Muenzinger Auditorium — University of Colorado Boulder
Roe Green Theatre — University of Colorado Boulder
 

Talks and Festival Programming

Canyon Theater, Boulder Public Library District
Dairy Arts Center
eTown Hall
Old Main — University of Colorado Boulder

The Sundance Film Festival programming in Boulder is expected to include panels, talks, industry mixers, pop-ups, private events and social activations. As the Festival gets closer and the official schedule is released, more info will become available.

The busiest period is typically the first half of the Festival, which runs Thursday through Monday, and includes opening weekend. These days are traditionally filled with major premieres, public events, screenings and sponsor activations, creating a vibrant and high-energy atmosphere throughout the host city.

The second half of the Festival starts on Wednesday of the following week, which continues to be active and draw local audience attendance. During this stretch, the schedule often features a concentration of world premieres, industry events and the opportunity for legacy programming drawing strong audience turnout and increased venue traffic.

Historically, these windows — the Festival’s first half, including opening weekend, and the second week from Wednesday through Friday — generate the greatest overall attendance, marked by marquee screenings, headline premieres, and expanded social and community programming.

The final stretch of the Festival, the last Friday, Saturday and Sunday, traditionally shifts in tone and audience mix compared to the first and second weeks. Many high-profile films that premiered earlier in the Festival receive encore screenings, giving access to a broader public audience.

Over the past decade, the Sundance Film Festival has attracted between 86,000 to 125,000 in-person attendees varying by year. Attendance is distributed across the Festival’s 11-day period. Historically, about one-third of attendees travel from out of state, while roughly two-thirds come from within the host state and surrounding regional markets.

It's not just movie stars and VIPs that come to the Sundance Film Festival. The majority of the attendees are ordinary filmgoers from across the country and locals who want to experience the Festival. It also attracts a diverse mix of film industry professionals, media, corporate sponsors and brand partners. Attendees also include filmmakers, actors, producers, distributors and studio executives, as well as national and international press covering premieres and industry news.

Boulder has a history of hosting large-scale, high-impact events including the Boulder Creek Festival (more than 150,000 attendees) and the BOLDERBoulder (more than 85,000 runners and spectators). The city also supports major arts and cultural events such as the Boulder International Film Festival and the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, which each attract approximately 25,000 attendees. In addition, University of Colorado Boulder events, particularly CU football games at Folsom Field with a capacity exceeding 50,000 fans, regularly generate significant visitor traffic. Collectively, these events demonstrate Boulder’s proven ability to manage high-attendance, multi-day programming comparable in scale and operational complexity to the Sundance Film Festival.

Lodging demand for the Sundance Film Festival in Boulder is expected to be strong and regionally supported, reflecting the Festival’s significant national draw. With tens of thousands of in-person attendees anticipated, including a meaningful percentage traveling from out of state, Boulder and its close neighboring communities have proactively planned to ensure a range of accommodations at various price points. The broader metro area provides additional capacity within a short distance, allowing the region to comfortably support the lodging needs of Festival attendees.

Collectively, hotels and licensed short-term rentals provide more than enough capacity to comfortably accommodate anticipated Festival attendance in and around Boulder.

Boulder offers approximately 3,000 hotel rooms within city limits, complemented by more than 10,000 rooms within 20 miles and over 74,000 rooms within 40 miles. Festival attendees will be able to experience Colorado’s unique mix of natural beauty and urban amenities, while remaining in close, easy proximity to Festival activity in Boulder. Boulder is approximately 40 miles from Denver International Airport (about a 45-minute drive), with a myriad of lodging options along the way. 

Short-term rentals further strengthen overall capacity. In addition to Boulder’s existing short-term rental inventory, Visit Boulder’s Festival Lodging Program, authorized last fall by a new City of Boulder ordinance, more Boulder homeowners may legally rent their properties during the Festival timeframe. 

For a complete view of lodging options, visit the Where to Stay page, which serves as the central hub for Boulder-area visitor information related to the Sundance Film Festival and will continue to be updated as more options become available.

Boulder and the surrounding region offer a comprehensive, multimodal transportation network that is fully capable of supporting Festival-scale demand.

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) operates frequent bus service connecting Boulder with Longmont, Lafayette, Louisville and nearby communities from 5am to 2am, including the Bolt, Dash, Jump aniukd 225 routes. The Flatiron Flyer rapid transit buses provide high-frequency service between Denver and Boulder along the U.S. 36 corridor seven days a week, while the AB bus offers direct service between Denver International Airport and Boulder. Eight regional rail lines, including the dedicated A Line to and from Denver International Airport, and more than ten Bustang intercity coach routes connect Boulder to major destinations across Colorado. All public transit vehicles are 100% ADA accessible.

The City of Boulder’s smartly planned, well-maintained transportation system successfully supports this level of activity year-round. Boulder’s HOP bus offers frequent, dependable service linking downtown, campus and major commercial areas. As an established mobility backbone in Boulder, it supports a highly walkable event experience, with routes running throughout the core Festival footprint during the Festival period.

While the city is in the early stages of planning for the 2027 Sundance Film Festival, the City of Boulder plans to provide free local bus transit on Boulder’s HOP bus route, as well as shared e-bike passes (up to 5,000), to Festival attendees and patrons during the Festival period. More information about transportation options during the Festival will be provided as we move through the planning process.

While Boulder strongly encourages the use of public transportation, biking, walking, and other sustainable mobility options, parking capacity further strengthens access. There are approximately 6,000 parking spaces within close proximity to the primary Festival footprint. Twenty Ninth Street provides more than 3,300 free parking spaces, and the City manages more than 2,600 downtown garage and on-street spaces, the majority of which are already free on weekends. The University of Colorado Boulder offers additional parking capacity.

The Festival footprint is intentionally concentrated in central Boulder, and there will be many ways to easily experience the Festival, whether on foot, by bike, bus or shuttle. 

Overall, Boulder’s public safety infrastructure is well-equipped and experienced in supporting high-attendance, multi-day events, and preparations for the Festival will prioritize a safe, welcoming and well-coordinated environment for attendees, residents and businesses alike.

The City of Boulder’s Police and Fire-Rescue departments, along with the Office of Emergency Management are working in partnership with state and regional agencies to implement a comprehensive public safety plan tailored to the Festival footprint and schedule. Planning includes enhanced staffing, visible patrol presence in high-traffic areas, coordinated traffic management, emergency medical services and integrated command operations to ensure real-time communication across agencies.

Security planning will also include close collaboration with Festival organizers, venue operators and private security teams to ensure layered security at screening venues and event spaces. Emergency preparedness, weather response and contingency planning are incorporated into operations, with clear communication channels for residents and visitors. 

Colorado officials estimate that hosting the Sundance Film Festival in Boulder could generate more than $2 billion in economic impact over its first 10 years, driven by visitor spending, job creation, tax revenue and broader tourism activity statewide. The projection is informed in part by the Festival’s historical performance in Utah, where the Festival has generated more than $130 million annually in economic activity. Leaders view the Festival as a long-term opportunity to boost winter tourism, support local businesses and further establish Colorado as a leading creative and cultural destination.

The arrival of the Sundance Film Festival in Boulder is expected to have significant cultural and community impacts beyond its economic benefits. Leaders anticipate the Festival will deepen Boulder’s identity as a creative and cultural hub, offering residents direct access to world-class independent films, filmmakers and industry conversations. With screenings and events expected to take place across downtown, university venues and public spaces, the Festival is positioned to become a shared community experience while creating new opportunities for local artists, students and creative professionals, particularly through engagement with the University of Colorado Boulder and other regional partners. 

Additionally, the Sundance Film Festival compliments Boulder events and provides a cool, fun and entertaining experience to see a curated selection of the best new independent films each year. 

Boulder is approaching the Sundance Film Festival with a deliberate focus on delivering an exceptional Festival experience while preserving the quality of life that residents value. Hosting the event in January, historically the city’s slowest month of the year, allows Boulder to utilize existing hotel rooms, restaurants, venues and infrastructure that would otherwise be underused. This timing helps minimize pressure compared to peak summer season while providing a meaningful boost to local businesses during a quieter period.

Planning efforts prioritize thoughtful venue placement, coordinated traffic and transit strategies, flexible Festival short-term rental regulations, and close collaboration across public safety and city services to reduce impacts on residential neighborhoods. Organizers are emphasizing walkability, transit accessibility and concentrated event zones in commercial districts and near the University campus to limit spillover effects. Ongoing community engagement and proactive communication with local residents and employees are central to the approach, ensuring transparency around logistics, lodging and infrastructure planning.

The overarching goal is to host a world-class Festival that enhances Boulder’s cultural and economic vitality while remaining aligned with the community’s scale, character and winter capacity.

The passion to participate is truly inspiring! As the Sundance Film Festival prepares for its move to Boulder, Colorado, we invite you to stay informed about future volunteer opportunities. If you are interested in learning more about volunteering for the Festival in Boulder, please reach out to volunteers@sundance.org for more information. 

Boulder is committed to ensuring the Sundance Film Festival is welcoming and accessible to all. Core components include accessible venue layouts, mobility and transit accommodations, clear wayfinding and inclusive communication tools. The approach is proactive and collaborative, with the goal of building an inclusive experience thoughtfully and transparently as the Festival takes shape in Boulder. 

Feel free to use this language in communicating about Boulder: 

Boulder is the perfect balance of urban and the outdoors. Nestled at the base of the foothills, where the plains meet the Rocky Mountains, Boulder feels both close to everything and a world all its own. Known for its phenomenal outdoor activities, award-winning and progressive farm-to-table food scene, quirky counterculture, creative community, and tech workforce, Boulder is a place that breathes life into big ideas, untold stories and meaningful connection. At the same time, Boulder’s prime Front Range location — just 40 miles from Denver International Airport and 28 miles from downtown Denver — offers the perfect balance of global connectivity, close-knit community and a centralized jumping off point for Colorado adventures.

Additionally, explore this website for more about Boulder's unique character.

For Sundance Film Festival information, visit festival.sundance.org.

For information about travel and experiencing Boulder, go to bouldercoloradousa.com/sundance-film-festival.

If you are a third party seeking to use the Sundance Institute® or Sundance Film Festival® trademarks or logos for any non-editorial reason — including promotional, commercial or co-branding purposes — please contact the Sundance Institute at marketing_inquiries@sundance.org. 

Unauthorized use or misuse of the brand assets is strictly prohibited and may result in legal action.