Iconic Film Fest Ditches Utah After Nearly 5 Decades

For nearly a half-century, Utah has hosted the Sundance Film Festival, which kicked off in the resort town of Park City. Now, the Beehive State is bidding adieu to the iconic event, as it was announced Thursday that, after "countless meetings" and multiple presentations, Boulder, Colorado, has been chosen to serve as the fest's new home, starting in 2027. The news comes about a year after Sundance Institute officials revealed they were shopping around, reports ABC4.

• Other contenders: Earlier this week, Cincinnati and Salt Lake City had remained with Boulder as finalists for the coveted hosting gig. The cities of Atlanta; Louisville, Kentucky; and Santa Fe, New Mexico, had also been in the running, per the AP.

• Fest's founder: "Change is inevitable," actor Robert Redford, 88, who founded the institute in 1981, said after the Boulder announcement, noting the "sincere gratitude" he held for Park City and the state of Utah for holding down the film fest fort all these years. "What we've created is remarkably special and defining," he added.
• Reason for the move: Per the AP, fest organizers felt Sundance "had outgrown" Park City over the years, without adequate theaters and housing for all the moviegoers that converge on the vacation destination every year for the event. The larger Boulder rose to the top of the short list "due to its close proximity to nature, its small-town charm, and an engaged community," the outlet notes.
• Fond farewell: Salt Lake City, which had vied for the hosting job in the hopes of keeping the festival in Utah, released a joint statement with Park City officials, noting they were "disappointed" with the decision, but "grateful for the lasting impact [the fest] has had on our communities."
• More reaction: Park City Mayor Nann Worel called the fest's departure "the end of an incredible era." Her counterpart in Boulder, Mayor Aaron Brockett, meanwhile, says he's "delighted" at his city's newfound good fortune, per NBC News.
• Final send-off: The festival will enjoy one more year in Park City in 2026 before taking off for Boulder.

(More Sundance Film Festival stories.)