It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic The Museum of Boulder gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Boulder, UT is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“I work with Always Best Care and it's been an amazing experience for me. I have learned so much about not only our patients we help, but the compassionate hard working people that are behind it all. I'm so grateful to work with such a caring, kind and helpful company they really do treat you like family❤. Not only are they giving back each day to patients who need them they are kind and caring to their employees as well. I love working for this company!”
“Amazing staff! I am so glad to have found Always Best Care, it is a blessing. I live 300 miles away from my elderly parents and cannot always travel, it’s comforting to know that my parents are in great hands and that I don’t have to worry about them. The staff is well trained and the management goes above and beyond to meet your needs. I think of them as angels in disguise!”
“I’m so glad we found Always Best Care to help our family take care of my grandpa! They have been amazing to work with. It’s such a relief to find a company that has open communication and cares about their clients and the clients family, too!”
“I have used the services of Always Best Care since Sept. 2021. I have been very pleased with the attentive care they have given my husband. They have been flexible, accommodating, and gone the extra mile helping with my husband's needs. As an example, I was away for the day and I was called by the caregiver that my husband was not doing well. I came home and we decided to take him to the emergency room. The caregiver came with us and stayed at the hospital for hours. He was released with the medication he needed for his recovery and she helped bring him home and get him settled before she left. This was way into the night and passed her normal working hours. One of my requests before hiring on a Senior Service was that the caregivers enjoyed their job and enjoyed working with challenging patients. I use their service six days a week and every caregiver has been kind, compassionate, and hard working. I really have been pleased.”
“Always Best Care is amazing! All of the caregivers are professional and provide the best care. I have tried multiple different agencies in the area for help with my grandmother and none have been as attentive and helpful as ABC”
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“Always best care has the most genuine team I’ve ever seen. They go above and beyond providing amazing care for the elderly with the help of trustworthy caregivers! They work as a team which makes the environment of there company so unique. Thank you always best care you have been amazing.”
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“The owners and staff at Always Best Care are so professional and friendly! With aging parents, it’s so nice to have the staff here to step in and help with caring for them. They are able to set everything up so quickly and provide the care when we need it! We are so happy we found out about them!!”
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“I'm so happy to have Always Best Care as a resource for us when we need more help with our aging parents. The office staff and owners are very professional and kind and they seem to be extremely careful in hiring staff that reflect the same values. I feel safe in trusting the caregivers. It's a huge relief to know that we have someone else who can help fill in when we can't be there or our parents just need more help than we can give.”
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Eben G Fine Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Flagstaff House or visit Colorado Chautauqua, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Boulder, UT, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Boulder, UT understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Boulder, UT 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
The Sundance Film Festival is getting on its horse and moving to Boulder.After months of multimillion-dollar funding appeals from cities across the country, the nonprofit film festival board announced Thursday that the famed event will move from its longtime home in Park City, Utah, to Colorado beginning in 2027.Boulder beat out a combined bid from Park City and Salt Lake City, as well as one from Cincinnati, which revealed earl...
The Sundance Film Festival is getting on its horse and moving to Boulder.
After months of multimillion-dollar funding appeals from cities across the country, the nonprofit film festival board announced Thursday that the famed event will move from its longtime home in Park City, Utah, to Colorado beginning in 2027.
Boulder beat out a combined bid from Park City and Salt Lake City, as well as one from Cincinnati, which revealed earlier Thursday that it was no longer in the running.
Boulder won due to its attractive mix of culture, including its mountain setting, technology sector, arts community, college population and community values, officials said at a celebratory press conference outside the Boulder Theater on Thursday afternoon.
The city is set to host the event from 2027 through 2036, with a potential 86,000 attendees and $132 million in economic activity, as Park City reported in 2024.
“Boulder will help write the future of the film industry,” Gov. Jared Polis said to raucous applause outside the Boulder Theater, echoing Sundance officials who praised the city’s amenities.
Dozens of people hugged and pumped their fists at the giddy Thursday event, where music played loudly and more than 100 people showed up to listen to the politicians, city boosters, and Sundance officials. Oscar-winning, Boulder-based filmmakers Daniel Junge and Paula DuPré Pesmen were also in attendance, with Pesmen praising the festival’s potential impact on local filmmakers from the stage.
The news means that Hollywood will now turn its focus toward the Front Range, which should benefit financially in January and February, when the trend-setting festival is held, an otherwise sluggish time of year for hotels and restaurants here. Add to that the promise of hundreds of Hollywood elite in limousines, dozens of red carpets and worldwide media coverage.
In response to a question from The Denver Post, Gov. Polis said the festival will become an “anchor tenant” in the state’s film culture, as it works with students and up-and-coming filmmakers and expands access to resources. He declined to say whether it would help encourage more legislative investment into the state’s film incentive programs, which have lagged far behind neighboring states in encouraging films to shoot here.
“This is an important part of showing how Colorado is here in the entertainment industry and the film industry, and of course, in and of itself, it’s an iconic event that we here in Colorado are going to help write a successful next chapter for.”
Colorado film commissioner Donald Zuckerman started the entire process about two years ago, having reached out to old friend and former producer Gigi Pritzker, who’s now vice chair of the Sundance board, Pritzker said.
Sundance sees the heart of the festival as centered in downtown Boulder, with a variety of existing theaters and venues, and adapted spaces around the pedestrian-only Pearl Street Mall. Various University of Colorado venues are also in play, said Todd Saliman, president of the University of Colorado, in an interview.
“Macky (Auditorium) is really the lynchpin,” added Lori Call, of CU Boulder’s communications department. “They’ve looked at Muenzinger Auditorium, they’ve looked at Glenn Miller Ballroom and they’ve looked at a host of venues affiliated with the (Folsom Field) stadium.”
As with Sundance officials, Gov. Polis has touted Boulder’s mountain backdrop, hotel capacity and Denver International Airport — not to mention festival founder Robert Redford’s ties to the University of Colorado, having attended college there.
Polis and state legislators have been working since last year to shore up incentives for the event, with a potential $34 million state tax credit for Sundance. The incentives would be doled out over the next decade, or about $3 to $5 million per year. A revised legislative bill — which would also leverage $500,000 annually to support “small or existing local film festival entities,” as sponsors put it — passed a final vote on the State Senate floor Friday morning, and is next headed to Polis’ desk.
While most legislators have supported the drive, State Rep. Bob Marshall of House District 43, called it a “taxpayer bribe” in a letter to The Denver Post.”
Now that it’s decided, officials from Sundance, the state, Boulder, and private donors and businesses will spend the next two years shoring up theaters, meeting and party spaces, and lodging options in a collaborative effort. It will include not only the state incentives but work from Boulder’s business boosters to meet Sundance’s high expectations for hosting, and surrounding cities that will absorb out-of-state travelers and related events.
Choosing Boulder cements Colorado’s reputation as a global film destination, joining prestigious events such as the Telluride Film Festival, Aspen Shortsfest, Boulder International Film Festival and Denver Film Festival, Sundance festival director Eugene Hernandez told The Denver Post on Thursday.
He has attended those events, and Sundance wants to play nice with all of them — including Denver’s SeriesFest, often called the “Sundance of television.” Hernandez, a former journalist who founded the respected film site IndieWire, has worked on SeriesFest’s staff in the past.
Like the 2025 Sundance event, which ran from Jan. 23 to Feb. 2 in the resort town of Park City, Boulder’s will be programmed during the early months of the year. The festival was running out of space and goodwill in Park City, especially during the height of its lucrative ski season, Variety reported.
Sundance and business leaders vowed to make an impact outside of Boulder by continuing to support local filmmakers as part of its development programs, and to stay ahead of the festival’s needs, such as more venues and capacity for attendees at one of the world’s premiere independent film festivals.
“It all starts today,” festival director Hernandez said.
After more than four decades of calling Park City home, the Sundance Film Festival is officially moving to Boulder, Colorado, beginning in 2027.The decision is a major shift for the world-renowned festival, which has been synonymous with the Utah ski town since its inception. While it may come as a surprise to some, for those following the festival’s trajectory in recent years, the move seemed inevitable.I’m kinda sad that Sundance is moving to Colorado. I’ve had an awesome time attending the event in Park Cit...
After more than four decades of calling Park City home, the Sundance Film Festival is officially moving to Boulder, Colorado, beginning in 2027.
The decision is a major shift for the world-renowned festival, which has been synonymous with the Utah ski town since its inception. While it may come as a surprise to some, for those following the festival’s trajectory in recent years, the move seemed inevitable.
I’m kinda sad that Sundance is moving to Colorado. I’ve had an awesome time attending the event in Park City over the past 18 years. I also have family in the area that I can stay with for free during the event. I don’t have that in CO, so next year may be the last year I attend.
Boulder beat out Cincinnati, Ohio, and Utah’s last-ditch effort to keep Sundance in its birthplace, ultimately winning the bid with a strong financial proposal and a vision for the festival’s future.
The road to Boulder was paved by a perfect storm of industry shifts, logistical frustrations, and a post-pandemic reset. Sundance has struggled with Park City’s limitations, overcrowded venues, high costs, and accessibility challenges, all of which have made the festival experience increasingly difficult for both industry insiders and indie filmmakers scraping together travel budgets.
“Part of the decision-making process was around opportunity for growth,” said Acting Sundance Institute CEO Amanda Kelso. “That is also an important factor for us. Knowing that we can be in a town that has 100,000 people means that it has more venues, more spaces, and more opportunities in how we can be expansive of the festival moving forward.”
The search for a new home was set in motion last year when the Sundance Institute formally opened up bidding to other cities. Boulder quickly emerged as a frontrunner, thanks to its arts scene, strong local support, and a lucrative $34 million tax incentive spread over a decade.
Beyond the financial incentives, Boulder offered something Park City could no longer compete with… accessibility and sustainability. With a population of around 100,000, Boulder has more infrastructure to support the festival’s evolving needs.
It’s a vibrant college town with a strong arts and tech presence, which aligns with Sundance’s push for a broader, more inclusive audience.
“From a sense of space perspective, it’s this really vibrant town that’s surrounded by nature,” Kelso added. “You can imagine walking from venue to venue, metabolizing the film you just watched and communing with nature, which is something Robert Redford felt so strongly about.
“When you think about a sense of place perspective, Boulder is a cool town, it’s an arts town. There are poets, musicians, and filmmakers who live here. It’s a tech town. It’s also a college town—38,000 students attend the University of Colorado Boulder, and that creates an opportunity for us to think about audience development in a more expansive way.”
The success of Sundance’s Directors Lab in Boulder in May 2024 also helped solidify the move. Logistically, Boulder is closer to Los Angeles than Park City, making it easier for industry professionals to attend without dealing with the high-altitude struggles that Park City presented.
While Boulder may lack the ski-town appeal of Park City, it sits at 5,420 feet above sea level, which is significantly lower than Park City’s 7,000-10,000 feet—making the festival experience a little easier to navigate.
Utah didn’t let Sundance go without a fight. Governor Spencer Cox and state officials scrambled in the final months to pull together an offer to keep the festival in Park City. But in the end, Boulder’s bid was simply too strong to beat.
“Colorado is thrilled to welcome the Sundance Film Festival to its new home in Boulder starting in 2027,” Colorado Governor Jared Polis said. “Here in our state, we celebrate the arts and film industry as a key economic driver, job creator, and important contributor to our thriving culture.
“Now, with the addition of the iconic Sundance Film Festival, we can expect even more jobs, a huge benefit for our small businesses including stores and restaurants.”
With Boulder locked in as the future home of Sundance, the countdown begins for Park City’s final festival, set to take place from January 22 – February 1, 2026. The last hurrah is expected to be a major sendoff, with organizers already planning a festival that will honor its long history in Utah.
“We’re already hard at work at the next Sundance Film Festival,” said festival director Eugene Hernandez. “It will be really meaningful and special for us.”
The move is bittersweet for a lot of people. Park City and Sundance have been intertwined for decades, but with industry demands evolving, the festival had to adapt.
Boulder represents a fresh start and a chance to redefine Sundance for a new generation of filmmakers and audiences.
The Sundance Film Festival will be making a move to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027 after more than 40 years in Park City, Utah, organizers 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 Sundance Institute said in a news release.The Sundance Institute conducted a year-long process consisting of proposals and site visits to different cities to determine which location would suit t...
The Sundance Film Festival will be making a move to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027 after more than 40 years in Park City, Utah, organizers 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 Sundance Institute said in a news release.
The Sundance Institute conducted a year-long process consisting of proposals and site visits to different cities to determine which location would suit the festivities best. Finalist cities include Cincinnati, Ohio, and Salt Lake City, Utah.
Sundance Institute Board Chair Ebs Burnough explained that this decision was “informed by a detailed evaluation of the key components essential to creating our Festival.”
“We have a profound appreciation for the finalist cities and their communities — including Boulder, Colorado, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Salt Lake City, Utah — who presented overwhelmingly strong proposals and dedicated their time, passion, and commitment every step of the way," Burnough said.
The institute envisions using Boulder’s downtown theaters and venues as the heart of the festival. Spaces around Pearl Street Mall may be used, which is a pedestrian-only street, according to the institute.
"As change is inevitable, we must always evolve and grow, which has been at the core of our survival," Sundance Institute President and Founder Robert Redford said. "This move will ensure that the Festival continues its work of risk taking, supporting innovative storytellers, fostering independence, and entertaining and enlightening audiences.
Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett is "delighted" to welcome the film festival to its new home.
"Sundance’s independent and creative spirit is the perfect match for Boulder’s vibrant and inclusive culture," Mayor Brockett said. "We thank the Sundance Institute’s leadership for putting their faith in us, and we look forward to a long and creative partnership."
Though Park City Mayor Nann Worel is "deeply disappointed," she said this is "not the end of Park City’s magic."
"For the past year, we put our heart and soul into finding a way to keep Sundance in Utah," Mayor Worel said. "I am proud of our team in Park City and thankful to the Utah Bid Committee for their commitment and creativity."
"Frankly, I don’t know if there is anything else we could have done," she added.
Terry Dickerson is a news associate with NBC News Digital.
After more than four decades of calling Utah and Park City home, the Sundance Film Festival is leaving in 2027.The Sundance Film Institute announced on Thursday that festival organizers have decided to move to Boulder. The Colorado Senate gave preliminary approval Thursday to ...
After more than four decades of calling Utah and Park City home, the Sundance Film Festival is leaving in 2027.
The Sundance Film Institute announced on Thursday that festival organizers have decided to move to Boulder. The Colorado Senate gave preliminary approval Thursday to a bill that would offer the film festival up to $34 million in tax credits over 10 years. The House already approved the bill, and the Senate will need to vote on it again before it goes to Gov. Jared Polis’ desk for a signature.
Utah was one of three finalists bidding to host Sundance after its contract expires following the 2026 festival. Earlier Thursday, news broke that organizers did not choose Cincinnati, leaving just Utah and Colorado in the running. Sundance’s announcement later Thursday afternoon sealed the deal for Boulder.
“This decision was informed by a detailed evaluation of the key components essential to creating our Festival. During the process, it became clear that Boulder is the ideal location in which to build our Festival’s future, marking a key strategic step in its natural evolution,” said Ebs Burnough, Sundance Institute Board Chair.
The decision also comes after some final-hour drama added a wrinkle to Utah’s bid. The 2025 Utah Legislature approved a bill aimed at banning pride or LGBTQ+ flags in schools and all government buildings, which its supporters said is meant to promote “political neutrality” in government spaces.
Earlier this month, the Hollywood news site Deadline reported that bill, HB77, could pose “an eleventh-hour obstacle to the Beehive State’s hopes of keeping” Sundance. The outlet quoted an unnamed “Sundance insider” expressing frustrations with the bill and calling it a “terrible law, a terrible look for the state.”
“No matter what they say, we all know who it’s aimed at — the LGBTQ+ community, and that’s unacceptable,” the outlet quoted that insider saying.
Polis, a longtime Boulder resident, welcomed the announcement and highlighted the economic boost the festival is expected to bring to the state.
“I’m beyond excited to welcome the Sundance Film Festival to Colorado starting in 2027,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “Here in Colorado we also celebrate the arts and film industry as a key economic driver, job creator, and important contributor to our thriving culture. Now, with the addition of the iconic Sundance Film Festival, we can expect even more jobs, a huge benefit for our small businesses including stores and restaurants, and to help the festival achieve even greater success.”
Boulder Mayor Aaron Brockett told Colorado Newsline he is “delighted” the festival will come to his city, as it will be an “incredible boost to our cultural life here in Boulder.” He said he’s grateful for the “huge amount of work” those at Visit Boulder, the Downtown Boulder Partnership, the Boulder Chamber of Commerce and the state put into attracting the festival.
“I think it’s providing an amazing opportunity for folks to see cutting edge, independent films in years to come and meet some amazing people,” Brockett said. “It’s definitely going to raise our profile as a city in a way that I think it’s really good for the community.”
John Tayer, president and CEO of the Boulder Chamber, also noted the festival’s economic promise, and he acknowledged the city’s new role as a steward for a cherished arts institution.
“The Boulder Chamber and the business community we represent understand what an immense responsibility we will be assuming with the selection of Boulder as the new host city for the Sundance Film Festival,” Tayer said in a statement. “The Sundance Film Festival is an international cultural asset with global expectations for a successful transition that builds toward an exciting future vision of growth and impact.”
‘Bye Felicia’
The announcement came after Utah’s bid committee — made up of officials from Park City, Visit Park City, Summit County, Salt Lake County, Visit Salt Lake, the state of Utah, Salt Lake City and Utah’s philanthropic community — spent nearly an entire year forming a bid package that included tens of millions in in-kind and cash public funding, plus even more in private commitments.
Park City and Salt Lake City are both Democratic strongholds in an otherwise deeply conservative state.
In total, Utah’s bid included more than $54.1 million in public cash commitments over 10 years. That included an additional $24.9 million in new cash commitments over the life of a 10-year contract, on top of about $29.2 million that had already been committed to Sundance over 10 years, according to bid committee officials. That would have equaled nearly $2.8 million in new annual public funding committed to the film festival, on top of about $2.7 million that was already committed, bringing the total annual public cash that was on the table to more than $5.5 million a year for 10 years.
The 2025 Utah Legislature appropriated $3.5 million in their budget this year for the film festival, upping the state’s annual commitment by about $1.62 million a year.
But it wasn’t enough to entice Sundance to stay.
“Bye Felicia,” the Senate sponsor of the flag ban bill, Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, posted on X in response to the Deadline article. “Sundance promotes porn. Sundance promotes alternative lifestyles. Sundance promotes anti-lds themes. Sundance does not fit in Utah anymore.”
It’s not clear how much the pride flag ban factored into festival organizers’ decision to leave Utah.
Sundance’s departure from Utah is a blow not just to local filmmakers, but also the state’s economy. Last year, the Sundance Film Festival generated about $132 million in gross domestic product for Utah, 1,730 local jobs, $69.7 million in Utah wages, and $13.8 million in state and local tax revenue, according to its 2024 economic impact report.
Leading up to their decision, festival organizers had said Sundance had outgrown the Utah ski town of Park City. Robert Redford, in January, told the Associated Press he’d started to “hear some negative comments about how crowded it is and how difficult it is to get from venue to venue when there’s traffic and people in the streets and so forth.”
On Thursday, Redford — an actor and director who founded the Sundance Film Festival and attended the University of Colorado Boulder — said his mission to discover and develop independent filmmakers will continue on, while thanking Park City and Utah leaders and expressing excitement for Sundance’s future in Boulder.
“What we’ve created is remarkably special and defining,” Redford said. “As change is inevitable, we must always evolve and grow, which has been at the core of our survival. This move will ensure that the Festival continues its work of risk taking, supporting innovative storytellers, fostering independence, and entertaining and enlightening audiences. I am grateful to the Boulder community for its support, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the Festival there.”
Sundance organizers said they were drawn to Boulder for its “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.”
“Boulder is an art town, tech town, mountain town, and college town,” said Amanda Kelso, Sundance Institute Acting CEO. “It is a place where the Festival can build and flourish. This is the beginning of a bold, new journey as we invite everyone to be part of our community and to be entertained and inspired. We can’t imagine a better fit than Boulder.”
Editor’s note: Colorado Newsline’s Lindsey Toomer contributed to this report. This story first appeared on Utah News Dispatch, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Utah News Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor McKenzie Romero for questions: [email protected].
FILE - Sundance Leaving Utah (Photo: Logan Price, KUTV Photojournalist)SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox released a statement after the Sundance Film Festival announced their decision to permanently move to Boulder, Colorado after 41 years in Park City.The Sundance Institute announced in April 2024 that they were looking at other options outside of Utah beginning in 2027.Some tourism industry insiders have said it’s becoming too costly to host an event like the Sundance Film Festival in Park City....
FILE - Sundance Leaving Utah (Photo: Logan Price, KUTV Photojournalist)
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox released a statement after the Sundance Film Festival announced their decision to permanently move to Boulder, Colorado after 41 years in Park City.
The Sundance Institute announced in April 2024 that they were looking at other options outside of Utah beginning in 2027.
Some tourism industry insiders have said it’s becoming too costly to host an event like the Sundance Film Festival in Park City.
Cities were invited to submit proposals to host the festival.
As part of the bid to keep Sundance in Utah, much of the festival would have been moved to Salt Lake City, while keeping a smaller number of events in Park City.
Ultimately, Institute officials decided Boulder was the destination for their future.
Gov. Cox said festival organizers would come to regret their decision.
“This decision is theirs to make — but I believe it’s a mistake, and that one day, they’ll realize they left behind not just a place, but their heritage,” he said.
"While we’re disappointed by Sundance’s decision to leave Utah, we wish them continued success in their next chapter. For more than 40 years, Utah has supported the Sundance Film Festival to become a global force in film, art, and culture. As I’ve said from the beginning, we wanted Sundance to stay. We made that clear to their leadership and put together a highly competitive package. Ultimately, this decision is theirs to make — but I believe it’s a mistake, and that one day, they’ll realize they left behind not just a place, but their heritage. In the meantime, we’ll keep doing what we’ve always done: supporting filmmakers and building a world-class film economy right here in Utah. We have already begun meeting with partners, stakeholders, and creative voices to create a new festival — one that honors our legacy and writes the next chapter of independent film in Utah."
KUTV caught up with Gov. Cox Thursday and asked about his reaction to the festival relocating.
“We’re disappointed but not surprised at all. I’ve known for at least two months," he said. "This has been baked for a long time well before the flag stuff. There was no question they were leaving."
The "flag stuff" was in regard to a bill about Pride Flags being displayed here in Utah. There had been speculation the festival was moving as a result of politics in the state.
As for what could possibly replace Sundance after the credits roll on its final festival in 2026, the governor said there could be something new.
“I’m actually excited. This is a huge opportunity for the state. We are going to do a film festival that is even bigger. It is going to be incredible, and we are very, very excited about it,” he said. “We’ve got huge funders already that are excited, people from the industry, people who were with Sundance who are disappointed that they are leaving and who are going to stay here. This is what we do in Utah - we do things bigger and better, and I can’t wait to see as this comes together.”
Cox added that they’ve been working behind the scenes for awhile and already have some donors lined up for the next chapter, but no other details were provided. Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith has also expressed his support for a film festival here in Utah.
KUTV asked Utah residents their thoughts on Utah doing its own film festival after Sundance leaves.
“It would be nice to have something,” responded Matamales.
“I don’t think the answer is to have kind of a grassroots alternative. I think bringing in talent from all over the world is a brilliant thing Sundance did very effectively and cultivated a name for itself. It’s a petty it’s separated from itself,” said Kamel.
Sundance Film Festival will have its last screening here in Utah next January.
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