BVSD Confirms Boulder High School and Casey Middle School Stay Open During Sundance 2027, With Impacts Running Jan. 5 to Feb. 5
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Confirmed by Boulder Valley School District itself: Boulder High School and Casey Middle School, two of the festival’s 15 official venues, will stay open and operate “as normal as possible” during Sundance 2027. The district is now giving families a specific window for disruption, saying impacts could start as early as January 5, 2027, more than two weeks before the festival opens, and continue as late as February 5, 2027, several days after it ends, with the heaviest effects during opening week and the festival itself. Exact classroom and after-school schedule changes have not been published yet.
Last verified: September 29, 2026
The impact window, as BVSD describes it
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Boulder High School and Casey Middle School remain among the festival’s 15 official venues | Confirmed |
| Both schools will be open and operating “as normal as possible” during the festival | Confirmed |
| Possible impacts begin as early as January 5, 2027 and run as late as February 5, 2027 | Confirmed |
| Heaviest impact expected the week the festival begins and during the festival itself (Jan. 21-31) | Confirmed |
| Specific classroom schedule and after-school activity changes | Pending |
The district posted the update on its “Sundance is Coming to BVSD” page, which it frames as evolving guidance rather than a finished plan. BVSD says it expects heavier traffic around both campuses given the increase in festival visitors, along with the possibility of restricted access to certain spaces, limited parking, and adjustments to after-school activities, events, and athletics at Boulder High School and Casey Middle School specifically. The district is careful to note this is the first year hosting the festival, so both Sundance Institute and BVSD are still learning what the operational reality will look like, and it asks families for patience as details continue to emerge in the coming months.
Why it matters
This closes a gap we flagged in our own rundown of the festival’s lesser-known official venues, including these two BVSD campuses, where we noted the district had not yet said whether the schools would hold normal classes during the festival window. It also matters beyond the two campuses themselves: a five-week window of elevated activity, running well before and after the ten festival days, is useful context if you are trying to gauge which Boulder neighborhoods will feel the crowds longest. Pair this with our transit and shuttle guide and our parking guide if you are mapping out how to move around the city during that stretch.
What we’re watching
We’re watching for BVSD to publish the specific classroom, after-school activity, and athletics adjustments it says are still being worked out, and for any updated guidance as the festival gets closer.
