Sundance Film Festival is relocating to Colorado after nearly 50 years in Utah

The Sundance Film Festival has found a new home in the Centennial State.

The long-running movie exhibition, which was previously based in Park City, Utah, has chosen Boulder, Colorado, as its new host city, the Sundance Institute's Board of Trustees announced Thursday.

"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 announcement read. Other cities that were in the running included Cincinnati and Salt Lake City.

"We have a profound appreciation for the finalist cities and their communities ... who presented overwhelmingly strong proposals and dedicated their time, passion, and commitment every step of the way," Sundance Institute Board Chair Ebs Burnough said in a statement.

When is Sundance moving to Colorado?

Sundance Film Festival will make the official move to Colorado for its 2027 edition. The 2026 festival, as with previous years, is scheduled to take place in Park City and Salt Lake City. Co-founded by filmmaker Sterling Van Wagenen, Sundance opened in Salt Lake City in August 1978 as the Utah/US Film Festival.

Colorado is "thrilled" to welcome the movie magic to its state, Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement, adding that Colorado celebrates "the arts and film industry as a key economic driver, job creator, and important contributor to our thriving culture."

Marketing organization Visit Boulder was "deeply honored" for the city's selection, CEO Charlene Hoffman said in a statement. Hoffman added, "Creativity, innovation, and expression are at the heart of what makes Boulder special, and we're ready to welcome storytellers and cinema lovers from around the world."

"The institute and its board of trustees want to thank the festival's current home and beating heart for more than 40 years — Park City together with the state of Utah," Thursday's announcement said. "Park City and Utah will always be a formative part of the festival."

The 2025 Sundance Film Festival, which took place in January, saw movies such as war satire "Atropia" and black comedy "Twinless" collect top awards, while the event spotlighted other works, including "The Ugly Stepsister," "Oh, Hi!" and "Pee-wee as Himself."

On the red carpet, the festival boasted star-studded appearances from the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Ayo Edebiri, Chloë Sevigny, Cynthia Erivo and Glenn Close.

Next year's Sundance Film Festival is set to run from Jan. 22 through Feb. 1, 2026.

Contributing: Brian Truitt, Patrick Ryan and Kim Willis, USA TODAY