The Sundance Film Festival, founded by actor Robert Redford, comes around once a year in January. Sundance has become a well known premiere festival for many different actors and actresses.
The past Sundance festivals have been held in Park City, Utah, but now the decision has been made to relocate the 10 day festival to Boulder, Colorado. The other relocation option was Cincinnati, Ohio, but Colorado beat the bid against Ohio.
There were over 100 locations chosen to be the potential new home for the famous festival but they narrowed it down to 6 final options. Boulder won against Atlanta, Cincinnati, Santa Fe, Louisville, Kentucky and Salt Lake City.
Sundance’s film festival is being relocated to Boulder from Utah because Utah has started to ban gay pride flags from state buildings in schools, but Colorado has started to protect more LGBTQ residents. This was a big decision changer for Sundance because the film festival celebrates the diversity in everyone and wants everyone to have a home.
Sundance really cares about inclusivity and welcoming everyone, so they made the decision to move it to Boulder.
This decision will bring many great opportunities for Colorado by bringing as many as 40,000-50,000 visitors to the town of Boulder. It wouldn’t only bring more people, but it would boost Boulders economy by bringing in lots of
This relocation is also very special because the owner of Sundance, Robert Redford, has a unique connection to Boulder. One of the most iconic burger and pizza places in Boulder, The Sink, has claimed that the most famous employee that ever worked there was Redford. Redford worked at the restaurant as a janitor back in 1955 when he was in college.
The festival will be centered around the Pearl Street Mall and the CU campus. The beautiful backdrop of the mountains will create a special touch for this festival. CEO of Boulder Chamber, John Tayer said this new decision is a “milestone for our state and local economy.”
“It represents as a cultural beacon to the rest of the world in terms of Boulder’s and Colorado’s leadership as a place of innovation for cultural creativity and for cinematic expression. It’s an immense responsibility for us to carry on the traditions that Sundance represents.” Tayer said.
The festival may also have some events in Estes Park at the Stanley Hotel’s new film center. Since Estes Park is near Boulder, it could potentially be the home for some of the festivals events due to its addition of movie theaters and space.
The relocation of this film festival has truly opened up a new window of opportunity for the state of Colorado. Ebs Burnough, the chair of the Sundance Institute said the location being moved to a town at the base of the mountains would help Sundance maintain its connection to the natural world.
This change will really benefit the Sundance Film Festival and bring so many visitors and life to the town of Boulder. The festival being in Boulder will become a place that the event can build and grow.
