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In a move that will shake up the world of independent film and the festival circuit, the Sundance Film Festival has confirmed that it will finally and officially be leaving Park City, Utah, the festival’s original home, for the 2027 iteration of the festival. Beginning in 2027, the new home of Sundance will be the city of Boulder, Colorado, which likewise means that Park City will have one more festival left, with 2026 functioning as the goodbye party and the 45th anniversary of Sundance. The move is meant to allow the festival more room to grow and expand, a tacit admission that it had long since outgrown the amenities, theaters and available housing in Park City for both workers and visiting theater patrons and media.

“This decision was informed by a detailed evaluation of the key components essential to creating our Festival. During the process, it became clear that Boulder is the ideal location in which to build our Festival’s future, marking a key strategic step in its natural evolution,” said Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute Board Chair in a press statement. “We have a profound appreciation for the finalist cities and their communities — including Boulder, Colorado, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Salt Lake City, Utah — who presented overwhelmingly strong proposals and dedicated their time, passion, and commitment every step of the way. We have deep respect and gratitude to these communities for their hard work and partnership throughout the past year. Additionally, we sincerely value the steadfast support from our staff and board as we have ventured on this exploration together.”

The festival also included the following statement from Sundance Institute President and Founder, and iconic actor, Robert Redford:

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“I founded the Sundance Institute with a commitment to discovering and developing independent artists, with the Sundance Film Festival serving as the platform for stories to help expand audiences and broaden the landscape. That mission remains even more critical today and will continue to be our core principle. Words cannot express the sincere gratitude I have for Park City, the state of Utah, and all those in the Utah community that have helped to build the organization. What we’ve created is remarkably special and defining. As change is inevitable, we must always evolve and grow, which has been at the core of our survival. This move will ensure that the Festival continues its work of risk taking, supporting innovative storytellers, fostering independence, and entertaining and enlightening audiences. I am grateful to the Boulder community for its support, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the Festival there.”

Sundance will now be set against the impressive backdrop of the front range of the Rocky Mountains. According to the announcement press release, the festival’s new Boulder iteration will be centered in downtown Boulder, “utilizing a wide array of theaters and venues, and incorporating spaces around the Pearl Street Mall, a pedestrian-only street. Nearby spaces will offer dedicated locations for our community to gather, including select spots on the University of Colorado (CU) Boulder campus.” The festival will no doubt bring a considerable influx of tourism and attention to Boulder, a notedly liberal mountain town known for craft breweries and progressive bluegrass, among other things.

“Colorado is thrilled to welcome the Sundance Film Festival to its new home in Boulder starting in 2027,” said Governor Jared Polis in a statement. “Here in our state we celebrate the arts and film industry as a key economic driver, job creator, and important contributor to our thriving culture. Now, with the addition of the iconic Sundance Film Festival, we can expect even more jobs, a huge benefit for our small businesses including stores and restaurants. Thank you to the Sundance Institute and all of the partners like the City of Boulder, Visit Boulder, the Boulder Chamber of Commerce, and I also want to thank the bipartisan legislators and leadership who have worked tirelessly to make this possible.”

Press conference to be held at 2 p.m. today in downtown Boulder

Today, the Sundance Institute named Boulder, Colorado as the new host of the Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027. To celebrate the announcement, a press conference will be held at 2 p.m. today, March 27, in front of the Boulder Theater on the southwest corner of 14th and Spruce in downtown Boulder, Colorado. State officials, including Gov. Polis, Sundance Institute representatives, and Visit Boulder are all expected to speak. Members of the media who plan to attend should RSVP to Ally Sullivan at [email protected].

“I’m beyond excited to welcome the Sundance Film Festival to Colorado starting in 2027. Powerful films tell our stories; who we were, who we are, and who we aspire to be. Here in Colorado we also celebrate the arts and film industry as a key economic driver, job creator, and important contributor to our thriving culture. Now, with the addition of the iconic Sundance Film Festival, we can expect even more jobs, a huge benefit for our small businesses including stores and restaurants, and to help the festival achieve even greater success. Thank you to the Sundance Film Festival and all of the partners including the City of Boulder, Visit Boulder, the Boulder Chamber of Commerce, and I also want to thank the bipartisan legislators and leadership who have worked tirelessly to make this possible,” said Governor Jared Polis.

Today’s announcement follows the submission of a winning proposal by the Boulder Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Boulder) with support from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), the Colorado Office of Film Television and Media (COFTM), OEDIT’s Business Funding & Incentives Division, Colorado Creative Industries (CCI), the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) and a regional coalition of partners, including the City of Boulder, the Boulder Chamber, the University of Colorado Boulder, and the Stanley Film Center. The proposal to host the Sundance Film Festival in Boulder has also secured bipartisan support, including the sponsors of HB25-1005, which is still moving through the legislative process, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, Rep. Brianna Titone, Sen. Judy Amabile and Sen. Mark Baisley.

“We’re beyond excited that Boulder has been chosen as the future home for the Sundance Film Festival. With its thriving creative spirit, stunning mountain backdrop, and welcoming community, Boulder offers a truly one-of-a-kind experience for filmmakers and attendees alike. This moment is a testament to what happens when a community comes together to champion art, culture, and connection. Congratulations, Boulder and all of Colorado — this is our moment to shine!” said Charlene Hoffman, CEO of Visit Boulder.

“This accomplishment is the result of incredible collaboration - one of the very attributes that makes our city great. We look forward to ensuring that the Sundance Film Festival flourishes here and that participants continue to enjoy a world-class experience.” - City of Boulder Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde

Through this historic opportunity, Colorado will honor the Festival’s roots in the mountain west, while supporting its ongoing growth and success and boosting the state’s creative economy. The Festival’s presence in Boulder will benefit the region and beyond, increasing tourism and boosting sales to restaurants and small businesses during a quiet time of year, while bolstering Colorado’s creative economy and generating new jobs for Coloradans.

“Colorado has long been known for its culture of collaboration, and that spirit was on full display throughout the proposal process. Recognizing the opportunity to strengthen our creative economy, create new jobs for Coloradans, boost tourism and elevate Colorado on the global stage, a diverse group of partners came together to showcase Colorado as the ideal next home for the Sundance Film Festival. The relationships we have built and strengthened, especially our partnership with the Sundance Institute, will ensure the Festival’s next act is a tremendous success,” said OEDIT Executive Director, Eve Lieberman.

“We are thrilled to welcome the Sundance Film Festival to Colorado and work with our new partners at the Sundance Institute to ensure a smooth transition to Boulder in 2027. We can think of no better partner to elevate filmmaking and storytelling in Colorado and look forward to celebrating the many creative milestones that lie ahead,” said Colorado Film Commissioner, Donald Zuckerman.

“With our world-renowned Rocky Mountain landscapes, well-established creative communities, strong hotel bed base, and robust domestic and international connectivity through Denver International Airport, Colorado is the perfect stage for the Sundance Film Festival’s next act. Congratulations to Boulder, and welcome to our new Festival partners!" said Colorado House Majority Leader Monica Duran.

“Hosting the Sundance Film Festival is an incredible win for the Boulder region and the state of Colorado. The 2024 festival generated $132 million in gross domestic product, created 1,730 jobs paying $69.7 million in wages, and attracted 24,000 out-of-state visitors who spent an average of $735 a day. We expect to see a similar impact for Coloradans and look forward to welcoming the Festival in 2027,” said Colorado Rep. Brianna Titone.

“The Tax Incentive for Film Festivals is advancing through the Colorado legislature with bipartisan support, paving the way for today’s historic announcement and demonstrating our state’s commitment to ensuring the success of the Sundance Film Festival in Colorado. This exciting news will elevate our creative industries and create new jobs for Coloradans for years to come,” said Colorado Sen. Judy Amabile.

“Today’s announcement is a tremendous win for Colorado small businesses. We welcome the Sundance Film Festival making its new home in Boulder. This will boost sales at restaurants, retailers and other small businesses throughout the region that rely on tourism, bringing much needed revenue to Colorado communities during a quiet time of year,” said Colorado Sen. Mark Baisley.

About Visit Boulder

Visit Boulder, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, is the official destination marketing organization for the city of Boulder, Colorado. Established in 1985, Visit Boulder strengthens the local economy by inspiring visitor connections to Boulder’s vibrant landscape and unique culture. (www.bouldercoloradousa.com)

About the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) works to empower all to thrive in Colorado’s economy. Under the leadership of the Governor and in collaboration with economic development partners across the state, we foster a thriving business environment through funding and financial programs, training, consulting and informational resources across industries and regions. We promote economic growth and long-term job creation by recruiting, retaining, and expanding Colorado businesses and providing programs that support entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes at every stage of growth. Our goal is to protect what makes our state a great place to live, work, start a business, raise a family, visit and retire—and make it accessible to everyone. Learn more about OEDIT.

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The Sundance Film Festival is leaving Utah — its home for the past four decades — for Boulder, Colorado, starting in 2027, organizers announced Thursday.

Why it matters: Sundance's planned departure from Park City deals a major economic blow to Utah.

What they're saying: "Ultimately, this decision is theirs to make — but I believe it's a mistake, and that one day, they'll realize they left behind not just a place, but their heritage," Gov. Spencer Cox posted Thursday on X.

Catch up quick: Organizers announced last April they were exploring a new permanent location for the independent film festival after 2026.

Follow the money: The Utah legislature set aside $3.5 million to entice the festival to stay.

Between the lines: Sundance's announcement hints at other assets that may have pushed Boulder ahead — particularly venues and resources that come with a college town where downtown is a 1-mile walk from a major campus.

Zoom in: Organizers specifically praised Boulder's pedestrian-only Pearl Street Mall.

Friction point: Organizers reportedly balked at a pending ban on pride flags in Utah's public buildings, which lawmakers passed earlier in March.

Robert Redford, who founded the festival, expressed "sincere gratitude ... for Park City, the state of Utah, and all those in the Utah community that have helped to build the organization."

What we're watching: How Sundance's departure will affect Utah's burgeoning film industry.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new information throughout

The Sundance Film Festival is Boulder bound, leaving its home of four decades in Park City, Utah, for a new chapter in neighboring Colorado.

Organizers announced their decision Thursday after a yearlong search in which numerous U.S. cities vied to host the nation’s premier independent film festival. The other finalists were Cincinnati, Ohio, and a combined Salt Lake City and Park City bid.

Festival leaders said politics did not influence their move from conservative Utah to liberal Colorado. They did however make “ethos and equity values” one of their criteria and referred to Boulder in their announcement as a “welcoming environment.”

Why was Boulder chosen?

Boulder stood out to organizers as an artsy, walkable and medium-sized city close to nature. It has one of the highest concentrations of professional artists in the U.S. and is home to the University of Colorado, where the film program contributes to a vibrant art scene, Sundance leaders said. They noted the large student population and campus venues will create new opportunities to engage young people in the event.

Nearby nature in the Rocky Mountain foothills offers room for visitors and artists to stretch their legs and draw inspiration from high country scenery. It’s also just over half an hour from downtown Denver and not much farther to the city’s international airport. There is not currently a light rail system connecting Denver to Boulder, but a bus runs between the two cities.

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When Sundance leaders began their search for a new home, they said the festival had outgrown the charming ski town of Park City and developed an air of exclusivity that took focus away from the films. Boulder, a city of 100,000 people, has space for a more centralized festival. But it’s not all that more affordable for attendees. The cost of living is estimated to be 31% higher than the national average, versus Park City’s 33%, according to the Economic Research Institute. Visitors also say it can be difficult to find available hotel rooms and short term rentals when the university hosts large events or home football games.

What is Boulder known for?

Actor Jonah Hill, “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and — perhaps most significantly — Sundance founder Robert Redford all attended the University of Colorado in Boulder. The school has a heady party culture that sometimes spills into the surrounding streets. The city is also home to a private Buddhist college.

Redford, 88, gave the festival’s relocation his blessing.

Redford is remembered in Boulder with a mural inside The Sink, a restaurant and bar where he worked as a janitor back in his college days.

“It’s gonna be really fun to see what happens and when people are introduced to the beauty of Boulder and how amazing this place is. It’s just gonna elevate Boulder’s presence on the world stage, I think,” said Chris Heinritz, a co-owner of The Sink.

Just outside Denver’s suburbs, Boulder has its own identity — and decades ago a very unique, hippie vibe. Well before Colorado voters legalized recreational marijuana in 2012, thousands of University of Colorado students and others would gather on campus to smoke pot every April 20.

Today, Boulder retains its charm at the foot of the sandstone Flatirons, a foothill range crisscrossed by hiking trails that begin at the Colorado Chautauqua, a cultural and performing arts hub dating to the 1800s. The pedestrian-only Pearl Street Mall with its nearby theaters could provide a similar central hub to Park City’s Main Street.

It’s no longer ideal for hippies, however. The university kicked the 4/20 weed fest off campus and soaring housing costs — the median home price is now $1.1 million — make living there unattainable for most.

A history of film in Boulder

Films have been shown in Boulder since 1898, when the first kinetoscope, a device co-invented by Thomas Edison, showed moving pictures to one person at a time at the Chautauqua Auditorium.

Besides Redford, Hollywood names who attended the University of Colorado include Dalton Trumbo, a screenwriter for “Spartacus” and “Roman Holiday” who was among the Hollywood Ten blacklisted for suspected communist sympathies in the late 1940s and 1950s.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Boulder locations featured as backdrops in the Woody Allen film “Sleeper” and Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.” And Boulder was the fictional setting of the TV show “Mork & Mindy.”

Today, it’s home to more than a dozen smaller film festivals, including the Boulder International Film Festival and Chautauqua Silent Film Series.

“It just makes perfect sense. We’re a small teeny tiny town but we’re filled with so much. We have so much art so much history, so much vibrancy,” said Hannah Givens, a University of Colorado graduate who lives in the Boulder area.

What is the festival’s history in Utah?

Sundance has called Park City home for 41 years. Past leaders of the festival said Redford chose the mountains of Utah as a space to foster independent filmmaking away from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood. Utah’s iconic red rock landscapes have served as a backdrop to many films, including “Thelma and Louise,” “Forrest Gump” and “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” for which the festival is named.

This year, thousands of festivalgoers affixed bright yellow stickers to their winter coats that read “Keep Sundance in Utah” in a last-ditch effort to convince its leaders to keep it local.

Sundance will have one more festival in Park City in January 2026 before moving to Boulder in 2027.

What kind of economic boost does it provide?

Over four decades, Sundance helped transform its quaint mountain hometown into a renowned winter destination. Home prices skyrocketed, luxury hotels emerged and some local businesses shuttered while others thrived.

Out-of-state visitors spent an estimated $106.4 million in Utah during the 2024 festival. Its total economic impact that year was estimated at $132 million, with 1,730 jobs for Utah residents and $70 million in wages for local workers. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said he was sad to see Sundance go, but the state’s economy could sustain the loss.

Utah offered Sundance $3.5 million to stay. Colorado lawmakers proposed $34 million in tax credits over 10 years to lure it away.

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Associated Press journalist Thomas Peipert contributed to this report from Boulder, Colorado.

The Sundance Film Festival will have a new home starting in 2027: Boulder, Colorado. The Sundance Institute made the announcement Thursday after a year-long process.

"Boulder offers small-town charm with an engaged community, distinctive natural beauty, and a vibrant arts scene, making it the ideal location for the Festival to grow," the institute wrote in a press release.

The announcement says the festival will center in downtown Boulder, at theater and venues around the pedestrian-only Pearl Street Mall, as well as spots on the campus of the University of Colorado Boulder.

"Our walkable downtown, iconic venues, and beautiful landscape at the base of the Rocky Mountains sets the stage for the Sundance Film Festival to flourish in its next chapter," said Charlene Hoffman, the CEO of Visit Boulder.

Since 1985, cinephiles have trudged through the snow in the ski resort town Park City, Utah, to be the first to watch new, independent movies. It became an annual ritual after actor and filmmaker Robert Redford founded the nonprofit Sundance Institute to champion independent film.

"I thought, what if we start a film festival where at least the filmmakers could come and see each other's work and form a community?" he explained to NPR in 2017. "I thought, this is probably not going to work, but slowly it caught on and then it caught fire. Now it's almost out of control, but the mission was accomplished: to create the space for other voices in film to get their stories told and be seen."

The community has grown since that first year, when Sundance screened around 25 feature films and a handful of documentaries to about a hundred people. In the past few years, tens of thousands of movie lovers have poured into Park City from around the world. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, online offerings have gotten hundreds of thousands of views from fans watching at home.

Last year, Sundance organizers said the festival's 10-year lease with Park City would end in 2027. When they announced they were looking for a new host city, more than 100 locations indicated they were interested. The finalists were whittled down to Salt Lake City, Utah, Boulder, Colo., and Cincinnati, Ohio.

In a press release announcing the finalists, the institute wrote that the candidates were assessed on their "ethos and equity values, infrastructure, and capabilities to host the Festival, in addition to demonstrating ways in which they will continue to foster the diverse Sundance community and inspire the next generation of independent filmmakers."

The institute wrote they were looking to preserve their core principles. "Each finalist demonstrated how they would welcome and continue to foster the diverse Sundance Institute and Festival community and culture of independent creativity."

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival will continue to take place in Utah next winter.