Industry News
After 40 years in Park City, Utah, the Sundance Film Festival is heading to a new permanent home: Boulder, Colorado. Starting January 2027, the iconic celebration of independent cinema will relocate to the foothills of the Rockies, ending months of speculation and ushering in a new chapter for the festival.
Why the move? According to the Sundance Institute, the decision comes down to infrastructure, growth, and long-term sustainability. While Park City has been the festival’s base since 1985, organizers say it can no longer support the evolving demands of the event—particularly when it comes to theaters, venues, and accessibility. The nonprofit needed a host city that could accommodate both its scale and its mission to connect artists and audiences in a meaningful way.
Why Boulder? With its walkable downtown, proximity to Denver International Airport, and strong university presence, Boulder offers an ideal mix of culture, community, and capacity. Festival organizers say the city’s engaged population, established arts scene, and scenic surroundings made it a natural fit. Boulder also offers room to expand, with a variety of existing theaters and venues—including the Boulder Theater, Macky Auditorium, and the University of Colorado campus—already slated for integration into the new festival footprint.
The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will still take place in its longtime home, returning to Park City and Salt Lake City from January 22 to February 1. It will mark a final send-off before the move to Boulder becomes official the following year. The move to Boulder isn’t temporary or experimental, either; it’s a permanent transition. Organizers have made it clear that starting in 2027, Boulder will serve as the annual January home for Sundance, anchoring the festival’s future in a city designed to support both its creative ambitions and logistical needs.
More details on the 2027 festival, including specific dates, venue maps, and programming notes, will be released in the coming months. Festivalgoers, filmmakers, and press can sign up for updates at sundance.org.
With the move, Sundance aims to reimagine how a major film festival can operate—from audience experience to local engagement—without losing the intimacy and indie spirit it’s known for. The announcement has already sparked excitement in Colorado’s film and arts communities, and many expect the new setting to bring fresh energy and expanded opportunities for collaboration. The mountains will still be part of the backdrop—but now it’s the Flatirons, not the Wasatch.
