Yes, you can get in
The festival is open to the public, and organizers have made a point of pricing some options for people who live here. As published:
| Option | Published price | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Single-film ticket | $37 | One screening. On sale January 8, 2027. |
| Ignite single ticket | $15 | For students of any age and adults 18 to 25. |
| Matinee package | $350 | 10 tickets to weekday screenings starting before 5 p.m., January 25–29. |
| Second Half package | $450 | 10 tickets for January 27–31. |
| Encore package | $675 | 10 tickets to films' repeat screenings. |
| Online single ticket | $37 | Watch at home, January 28–31. |
Package tickets are transferable, so a household or a group of friends can split one. Availability changes quickly; buy and confirm prices on the official festival website.
Local strategy
The first weekend is the hardest ticket. The second half, which starts midweek, features repeat screenings of films that premiered earlier and is aimed more at local audiences.
Getting around your own town
- Expect downtown, the Hill and campus to be busy from morning to midnight, especially January 21–26.
- The city plans free HOP service for festival attendees and is encouraging everyone to park once. If you normally drive downtown, consider the bus or a bike that week.
- Do your Pearl Street errands early in the day, or save them for February.
- Restaurant reservations will be scarce. Louisville, Lafayette and Longmont are your friends.
Road, parking and route changes will be posted on the City of Boulder transportation page.
Hosting friends and family
Every Boulder County resident is about to discover how many people they know. A few things that make a full house easier:
- Somewhere to sleepAn air mattress with a built-in pump inflates in minutes.Shop options
- Spare beddingSo you are not running laundry at midnight.Shop options
- Traction for visitorsOut-of-towners rarely pack for ice.Shop options
- Hand warmersCheap, and they will thank you in the queue.Shop options
No spare room? Send them the lodging guide and the area comparison, or point them at Louisville, Lafayette and Longmont hotels.
Renting out your home
Boulder created a festival lodging program so residents can legally rent their homes during the event, and it requires a license. Louisville and other nearby towns have launched or expanded their own short-term rental licensing. Rules, fees and taxes differ by city, so start with your own city's licensing page and check your homeowner's insurance and any HOA rules before you list.
The City of Boulder's site, bouldercolorado.gov, has the current requirements.
The festival from your couch
Online screenings run January 28–31. If that is more your speed than a January queue:
- Mini projectorTurns a blank wall into a screening room.Shop options
- Projector screenSharper than paint.Shop options
- SoundbarBecause TV speakers mumble.Shop options
- Popcorn makerThe only piece of film equipment everyone agrees on.Shop options
Or skip town
If eleven days of crowds is not your idea of January, it is a fine week to be elsewhere. Rent out your home under the festival lodging program and let the trip pay for itself.
Information checked November 2026. Festival plans are still being finalized, so confirm anything time-sensitive on the official festival website.