There will be plenty of movies to see in Boulder next year — and neighborhoods, as well.

The Sundance Film Festival confirmed it selected 11 theaters and four venues spread across downtown, the University of Colorado campus, University Hill and Chautauqua Park for its debut year in Boulder, according to an announcement released Tuesday.

Organizers with the famous independent film festival chose to host Sundance movie screenings and talks at both modern and historic theaters, high school and middle school auditoriums and venues located at the University of Colorado Boulder. 

The festival will run from January 21–31, 2027.

With the dates and venues announced, visitors can also start planning to book rooms through Sundance.

The festival launched a lodging page on its website offering what it promises are the best rates for hotel rooms. It’s the only booking platform directly connected with the festival and guests may get two complimentary festival movie vouchers for 2027 if they book through the Sundance page.

“We’ve secured the lowest published rates online. Period,” Sundance’s website says.

The lowest prices listed in Boulder’s city boundaries were $229 per night at the Boulder Broker hotel. Some rooms are already as high as $949.

Many popular hotels such as Moxy Boulder, St. Julien Hotel and Spa, Limelight Boulder and the festival’s headquarters Hotel Boulderado do not have rooms listed yet, as of Tuesday. 

“Lodging availability is currently limited at many properties,” according to the website. “More inventory will be released as the 2027 Festival approaches.”

Many of the official venues are within walking distance — though the furthest connections may take at least 50 minutes. Nearly all locations are about 10 minutes driving distance from each other, not counting traffic.

Here’s a breakdown of all the venues hosting official Sundance festival events.

CU BOULDER AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

One of the most popular hotspots for the Sundance Festival will be University Hill. 

The festival selected four locations on CU Boulder’s campus to host movie screenings and official Sundance events: Macky Auditorium, Roe Green Theatre, Muenzinger Auditorium and Old Main.

Sundance said Macky Auditorium, the concert hall built in 1922, is one of the “most iconic buildings” on the campus and a popular cultural gathering place dedicated to the arts, according to the festival’s website. The Muenzinger Auditorium was noted for its accessibility to both the campus and the rest of Boulder, as well as its high-quality film projection system that has supported CU Boulder’s prestigious film program. 

The Roe Green Theatre inside the University Theatre building — another central location — was also recognized for its 2023 renovation, great acoustics and orchestra and balcony seating.

Old Main, the university’s oldest building dating back to 1876, was named one of Sundance’s four sites for talks and other festival programs — so it will be a primary spot for all festival events that are not movie screenings. The spot has already long been used for public gatherings, lectures and academic events, Sundance said.

But it’s not just the university. Boulder High School and Casey Middle School will also be used for their auditoriums. 

Sundance noted Boulder High for its “outstanding visual and performing arts programs” and Casey Middle for its 2010 renovation for its respect for history and sustainability. 

DOWNTOWN BOULDER

Sundance named two theaters by Pearl Street in downtown Boulder as official venues.

Not surprisingly, Boulder Theater was selected. The historic art-deco performance center was after all the place where Sundance and local leaders first made their grand announcement that Boulder will be the new host last year.

ETown Hall, another venue a block from Pearl Street Mall, was selected as a “quiet space just outside the bustle of downtown Boulder.” The old church building turned music hall was founded in 1991 by eTown, the nonprofit radio broadcast and production company devoted to music and environmental causes.

DAIRY ARTS CENTER

The film festival will host both movie screenings and official events at the Dairy Art Center, a former milk-processing facility that was transformed into a cultural destination filled with dance studios, music and art galleries at 2590 Walnut St. 

Sundance said it will use the Boedecker Theater and Gordon Gamm Theater for movie screenings. In total, they can seat 320 people. The festival said the Dairy Arts Center is Boulder’s anchor for its art ecosystem and noted the more than 100 nonprofit cultural organizations that use the space.

ON THE OUTSKIRTS 

The furthest Sundance theaters from Boulder’s urban core will be Cinemark Century Boulder and the Chautauqua Auditorium. They’re at least a 30 to 40-minute walk from downtown.

The Chautauqua Auditorium, south of downtown and next to Chautauqua Park, is a National Historic Landmark built in 1898 near the foot of the Flatirons. The theater is all-wooden and Sundance said its setting was “unmatched.” 

“The auditorium provides a visual drama that rivals any cinematography found on screen,” Sundance said.

Cinemark Century Boulder is located on the city’s east side on 1700 29th St. While further from downtown, it is less than a 15 minute walk to the Dairy Arts Center. 

While not listed as an official festival theater, Sundance named the Boulder Public Library District’s Canyon Theater as a destination for talks and other festival programs.