Everything you need to know about the first Sundance Film Festival in Boulder, Jan. 21-31.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you likely already know that the Sundance Film Festival is coming to Boulder in January 2027.
That means Coloradans no longer have to travel to Utah to experience one of the world’s most influential film festivals in person. It also means thousands of longtime Sundance attendees will be descending on Colorado and figuring out a completely new festival home alongside locals who may have never attended Sundance at all.
This guide is for both groups. If you know Sundance but not Boulder, consider this an introduction to the festival’s new geography. If you know Boulder but not Sundance, consider it a primer on what actually happens during those 11 days and how an ordinary moviegoer can take part.
From figuring out tickets and choosing screenings to navigating the venues, getting around Boulder, finding somewhere to stay and understanding what happens beyond the movies themselves, here is what you need to know before Sundance arrives in Colorado.
When is Sundance?
The first Boulder edition runs Thursday, Jan. 21, through Sunday, Jan. 31, 2027. Sundance has designated Jan. 21-26 as the world-premiere window, meaning the opening stretch is when audiences will see many projects publicly for the first time. Screenings continue throughout the full 11 days, and the festival awards will be announced Jan. 29.
The lineup will be announced in December 2026.
How do Sundance tickets work?
You do not need an industry credential or invitation to attend. For the public, the basic choices are passes, ticket packages and single-film tickets.
Passes offer the most access and generally do not require individual screening reservations. Packages provide a set number of tickets — generally 10 — that buyers later redeem for specific screenings. Single-film tickets are the simplest option for casual attendees.
For 2027, public passes and packages go on sale Oct. 15, while single-film tickets go on sale Jan. 8. A single ticket costs $37. Packages range from $350 for 10 weekday matinees to $925 for a 10-ticket full-festival package. An Ignite package for attendees ages 18 to 25 costs $275 and includes 10 in-person tickets plus five online tickets.
New in 2027, enrolled students of any age and anyone ages 18 to 25 can preregister for $15 Ignite single-film tickets.
What actually plays at Sundance?
Sundance has historically championed new work by emerging filmmakers.
In 2027, its four primary competitions — U.S. Dramatic, U.S. Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic and World Cinema Documentary — each expand to 12 titles. Other sections include Premieres, NEXT, Midnight and Family Matinee, along with shorts and episodic projects. New Frontier also returns with work combining storytelling and emerging technology.
Sundance’s Offscreen programming adds filmmaker conversations, Cinema Café, The Big Conversation, Power of Story events and live podcast recordings.
Where is everything?
The biggest adjustment for Sundance veterans may be the geography. Instead of Park City, festival activity will be concentrated within a Boulder footprint Sundance says is roughly two miles across.
Screenings will take place at the Boulder Theater, Chautauqua Auditorium, Dairy Arts Center, eTown Hall, Boulder High School, Casey Middle School and several CU Boulder venues, including Macky Auditorium, Muenzinger Auditorium and the Roe Green Theatre. Hotel Boulderado serves as festival headquarters.
Do you need a car?
Probably not and trying to drive from screening to screening may make things harder.
Boulder is planning Sundance as a “park once” event. Local buses will connect venues, hotels and gathering spots, while the HOP, SKIP and JUMP routes and a Chautauqua Connector will move attendees around town. Regional RTD service links Boulder with Denver, other Front Range communities and Denver International Airport.
Many venues are walkable, but leave breathing room for screening lines and January weather.
Visitors should book lodging early; options extend beyond Boulder to surrounding communities and Denver.
Where should I stay?
Staying in Boulder will naturally put visitors closest to the festival, particularly if they can find lodging near downtown, Pearl Street or the CU campus. But it will not be the only option.
Sundance maintains an official lodging site with hotels and short-term rentals in Boulder and surrounding communities, and the festival has said attendees can also stay in Denver and commute. That may open considerably more lodging inventory, although anyone staying outside Boulder should factor transportation time into the screening schedule.
As with tickets, the safest advice is simple: book early. January is already ski season in Colorado, and Sundance will bring thousands more visitors into the area.
Can I volunteer? What about students?
Yes. Sundance expects more than 2,000 volunteers to help run the festival, and applications for 2027 are open. Roles span theaters, transportation, events and other operations, with several commitment levels available. Benefits can include screening access, meal vouchers and festival gear.
Students have additional ways in. Sundance created a student volunteer track requiring three shifts or 18 hours, whichever comes first. Its CU Boulder partnership also includes discounted tickets, free on-campus screenings, student-only filmmaker conversations, at least 100 volunteer opportunities for CU students and a pilot internship program.
Can you watch from home?
Yes, although the online festival is smaller than the in-person event.
For 2027, public online screenings run Jan. 28-31 and include films from Sundance’s five competition sections, with projects from some other sections able to opt in. Online viewing is available across the United States and U.S. territories.