Sundance Film Festival narrows its search for new host city, and Boulder, Colorado, is still in the running

The Sundance Institute this week announced that they are now considering only three finalist cities to host the Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027, and Boulder remains on the list. The Colorado city was named as one of six finalist cities earlier this summer. Now that list has been cut in half.  

"The Sundance Film Festival would perfectly complement the work and creative activity already happening here in Colorado," Gov. Jared Polis said in a post on social media.

The Colorado governor called Boulder "the next natural home to" the festival. He said Colorado is a place where creative communities are cherished and those communities help to produce economic benefits like new jobs.

The festival has been in Utah ever since it was started by Robert Redford in 1981. And it may remain there -- Park City/Salt Lake City is another of the three finalists still in the running. The only other city still being considered is Cincinnati.

"We see great promise and potential in Boulder, Cincinnati, and Salt Lake/Park City," said Eugene Hernandez, the Festival Director and Head of Public Programming. "Each has shown us the blend of exciting possibilities, values, and logistics needed to produce a vibrant, inviting, and inclusive Festival."

Boulder will find out if it is selected to host the Sundance Film Festival sometime in the first half of next year.