Sundance’s Boulder plan sets venue and online-access boundaries

Sundance’s February 24, 2026 announcement fixed January 21–31, 2027 for its Boulder debut and named screening venues across the city and University of Colorado campus. The announcement was a planning milestone: the Colorado festival remained in the future as of October 2026. ^[1]

The relocation decision itself was older. On March 27, 2025, Sundance Institute’s trustees announced Boulder as the festival’s home beginning in 2027. The later dates and venue list turned that choice into a more specific operating plan; they did not document attendance or economic effects. ^[2]

An access guide published in July and updated in September distinguished access windows. World premieres were planned for January 21–26, with further screenings through the festival. At-home screenings across the United States were scheduled for January 28–31, covering five competition sections; films in other sections could opt in for limited audiences. Online access was therefore a defined subset of the program. ^[3]

Venue preparation involved existing cultural infrastructure. Sundance’s September account describes Chautauqua Auditorium, built in 1898, and a revitalization project bringing geothermal heating and cooling, accessibility work and infrastructure upgrades. Those were reported preparations for film screenings, rather than verified completion of every improvement. ^[4]

About this item: Retrospective report. No first-hand reporting or independent testing is claimed. Corrections policy.