Sundance locks in 2027 dates and Boulder venues
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Chautauqua Auditorium. Photo: George Rose/Getty Images
The Sundance Film Festival on Tuesday announced dates and venues for its 2027 event — its first year in Boulder.
Why it matters: The venue announcements confirm Sundance will be centered in the heart of Boulder and make use of the city's downtown and campus areas.
The latest: Sundance revealed the festival will take place Jan. 21-31, 2027, and shared a list of official theater venues for the event:
- Boulder High School Auditorium
- Boulder Theater
- Casey Middle School Auditorium
- Chautauqua Auditorium
- Cinemark Century Boulder
- eTown Hall
- Dairy Arts Center's Gordon Gamm Theater and Boedecker Theater
- University of Colorado Boulder's Macky Auditorium Concert Hall, Muenzinger Auditorium and Roe Green Theatre
Other locations hosting festival talks and events include Canyon Theater at the Boulder Public Library and Old Main at CU Boulder.
What they're saying: "Nestled at the base of Colorado's iconic Flatirons, venues across the city and CU Boulder's campus provide an ideal setting for festival-goers from across the world to come together, revel in art, spark conversation and create unforgettable memories," said Eugene Hernandez, director of Sundance Film Festival and public programming.
Zoom in: The venue announcements confirm that all of the official events will take place within Boulder city limits, with most activities in downtown and at CU Boulder's campus.
Context: Unlike Sundance's split setup in Park City and Salt Lake City, Boulder can keep everything centralized, said Cris Jones, the city's director of strategic partnerships.
- "We're going to be able to more efficiently welcome the entire region in a way that Park City was just infrastructurally unable to do," he told us a few weeks ago.
Between the lines: Though Boulder doesn't have enough hotel rooms to accommodate all Sundance attendees, its venue setup is designed to keep as many people in the city as possible.
- The venues open the door for residents to enjoy the festival. Jones said that while film debut night tickets might be a hot commodity, locals can get into subsequent screenings.
- CU is also a big winner, as chancellor Justin Schwartz said hosting multiple events will gives students a rare opportunity to interact with filmmakers and get a behind-the-scenes view of a large scale event.
What we're watching: With plans locked in, preparations for the global arts event that draws tens of thousands of visitors are kicking into high gear.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with statements from CU Boulder and new details throughout.