Boulder, Colorado, Hosts the 2027 Sundance Film Festival and Sets the Stage for Adventure Across Northern Colorado

From Rocky Mountain wildlife and Western heritage to craft breweries, thriving food scenes and celebrated arts communities, six Northern Colorado destinations offer plenty of reasons to turn a trip to the 2027 Sundance Film Festival into a wider Colorado adventure.

BOULDER, Colo., Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In January 2027, the Sundance Film Festival will debut in Boulder, Colorado, after more than four decades in Park City. Taking place from January 21-31, 2027, the Festival's first edition in its new Colorado home will put Boulder firmly in the international spotlight. Beyond the screenings, premieres and creative energy of the Sundance Film Festival, six distinctive Northern Colorado destinations offer even more reasons to stay longer and explore the region.

Boulder: Where Creativity Meets the Outdoors

Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Flatirons, Boulder combines an energetic, creative spirit with the kind of immediate access to nature that defines Northern Colorado — a combination that will take on new significance when the Sundance Film Festival makes the city its new home starting January 21-31, 2027. At the heart of the city, pedestrian-only Pearl Street will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2027, marking five decades as a vibrant gathering place lined with independent boutiques, galleries, restaurants, breweries and cafés. Boulder's wider culinary scene has also earned recognition from the MICHELIN Guide. Just minutes from downtown, Chautauqua Park provides a gateway to miles of hiking trails beneath the Flatirons, with its historic Chautauqua Auditorium also set to become one of the Festival's official venues. This means Sundance Film Festival visitors can easily experience the best of Boulder as they attend screenings at iconic venues, decompress in the natural outdoor setting and enjoy Boulder's rich food, coffee and shopping scene throughout their Festival journey.

With one-of-a-kind venues, Sundance Film Festival visitors can move easily between screenings and the outdoors, starting the morning in the mountains before returning downtown for the Festival's premieres, events and creative buzz.

Estes Park: Take the Story into the Rockies

Surrounded by soaring peaks and sweeping alpine landscapes, Estes Park allows travelers to experience Northern Colorado at its wildest, serving as the basecamp for Rocky Mountain National Park. Winter transforms the area into a quieter landscape of snow-covered trails and frozen lakes, with visitors able to explore on foot or by snowshoe and enjoy some of the park's most popular areas without the summer crowds. Wildlife remains part of everyday life here, with elk frequently seen around Estes Park and opportunities to spot mule deer and other native species throughout the surrounding landscape. Back in town, independent shops, restaurants, breweries and cozy mountain accommodations provide somewhere to warm up from a day outside. For something more leisurely, the scenic Riverwalk follows the Big Thompson and Fall rivers through the heart of downtown.

Fort Collins: Beer, Food and a Soundtrack of its Own

With a lively downtown, celebrated craft beer scene and strong independent spirit, Fort Collins is one of Northern Colorado's most energetic cultural hubs. The city is perhaps best known for brewing, with New Belgium Brewing and Odell Brewing Co. among the names that helped put Colorado craft beer on the map, alongside a growing collection of smaller local breweries. Historic Old Town Fort Collins provides the city's social heart, bringing together restaurants, cafés, boutiques, galleries and live music venues within its characterful streets. Music is woven particularly strongly into Fort Collins' identity, from intimate local performances to Mishawaka Presents' winter concert series, which brings live music to venues around the city, while its celebrated canyon-side amphitheater remains one of the region's best-known music destinations. Fort Collins is also one of Colorado's most bike-friendly cities, with an extensive network of trails making cycling an easy way to discover its neighborhoods, breweries and natural surroundings.

Loveland: Where Art is Part of the Landscape

Known as one of Colorado's most established arts communities, Loveland has built an identity around sculpture, craftsmanship and creativity. The city's artistic heritage is perhaps most visible at Benson Sculpture Garden, where visitors can wander among an extensive collection of sculptures in a landscaped outdoor setting, while Chapungu Sculpture Park showcases monumental stone works by Zimbabwean artists. Downtown, galleries, murals and public artworks continue the creative thread, alongside independent shops, restaurants and local businesses. Visitors can also explore exhibitions at the Loveland Museum or discover more about the artists, sculptors and bronze foundries that have helped shape the city's reputation as a center for the arts. Beyond its creative credentials, Loveland sits within easy reach of lakes, trails and foothills, allowing visitors to combine culture with Northern Colorado's outdoor lifestyle.

Longmont: A Taste of Northern Colorado

With an independent food and drink scene and a strong connection to local makers and producers, Longmont offers plenty of reasons to arrive hungry and thirsty. The city is home to renowned craft breweries, including Left Hand Brewing Company and Oskar Blues Brewery, alongside Wibby Brewing, which specializes in American craft lagers inspired by traditional German brewing techniques. Food lovers can explore Cheese Importers, a family-run Longmont institution with an extensive cheese and specialty-food market, before discovering the restaurants that feature Latin American cuisine, coffee shops and independent businesses clustered in the city's historic downtown arts and cultural district. Longmont's agricultural surroundings also remain an important part of its identity, creating connections between local farms, producers and the city's evolving culinary scene.

Greeley: A Diverse Culture Takes Center Stage

Greeley's arts and culture take center stage at the Union Colony Civic Center, a major performing arts venue that brings nationally touring artists, musicians, comedians and family entertainment to Northern Colorado. Public art, from murals to sculptures, reflects a diverse and vibrant culture. And within walking distance of downtown, the University of Northern Colorado brings jazz legends to campus and shares performing and visual arts as a vital part of the community. Visitors can discover craft beer at WeldWerks Brewing Co., explore the flavors of 477 Distilling, and experience Western heritage at local museums and special events like the century-old Greeley Stampede and others. Home to a growing creative sector, where artists, makers and entrepreneurs are shaping the city's evolving identity, Greeley celebrates community, arts, heritage and culture with a welcoming vibe.

About Explore Northern Colorado

Explore Northern Colorado is a collaborative tourism partnership bringing together six distinctive destinations across Northern Colorado: Boulder, Estes Park, Fort Collins, Greeley, Longmont and Loveland. Working together to showcase the diversity of the region, Explore Northern Colorado connects visitors with experiences spanning the Rocky Mountains and great outdoors, vibrant arts and culture, locally rooted food and drink, Western heritage and thriving creative communities. The partnership aims to inspire visitors to stay longer, explore further and discover the individual character of each destination while experiencing Northern Colorado as a connected and compelling year-round destination. For more information, visit explorenortherncolorado.com.

Media Contact: Ilse Henderson, Senior PR Account Manager, ilse@blackdiamond.co.uk

Image library available upon request.

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SOURCE Explore Northern Colorado