Top 5 Reasons to Plan a Meeting in Boulder

By Beth Buehler

Boulder has long been a city with a great vibe. The technology industry has made the Colorado community one of its leading locations, and the University of Colorado Boulder keeps education and intellectual thinking at the forefront. The adjacent Flatirons and a sustainability ethnic make this Front Range destination a place where outdoor activities and thoughtful gatherings reign supreme. With that in mind, it’s easy to come up with a list of top five reasons to plan a meeting in Boulder, which is the location of Destination Colorado Meetings’ 2026 Customer Appreciation Event.

Creative Culture

In late March, the Sundance Institute named Boulder the new host of its Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027. Since 1985, the festival has been a gathering of storytellers and audiences in Park City, Utah, and has launched hundreds of films that have gone on to critical acclaim and viewership worldwide.

“We are deeply honored that Boulder has been selected to host the Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027,” says Charlene Hoffman, CEO of Visit Boulder, which submitted the proposal in partnership with several regional partners and state agencies. “Creativity, innovation, and expression are at the heart of what makes Boulder special, and we’re ready to welcome storytellers and cinema lovers from around the world. Our walkable downtown, iconic venues and beautiful landscape at the base of the Rocky Mountains set the stage for the Sundance Film Festival to flourish in its next chapter.”

The 11-day event is held the end of January and early February and typically attracts 24,000 out-of-state visitors. The timeframe is ideal for Boulder, since it tends to be a slower time of year for tourists and groups, leaving plenty of guest rooms and venues available.

“Boulder is an art town, tech town, mountain town and college town. 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,” says Amanda Kelso, acting CEO of Sundance Institute.

Walkable Events

The community was an early innovator of the concept of walking meeting and events, which utilize a variety of nearby venues and hotels instead of relying on one large property. For example, Sundance Film Festival plans to center the festival in downtown Boulder, utilizing the wide array of theaters and venues and incorporating spaces around Pearl Street Mall, a popular pedestrian-only area. Nearby spaces also will be tapped as locations for attendees to gather, including select spots on the campus of University of Colorado Boulder, the alma mater of actor Robert Redford, president and founder of Sundance Institute.

“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,” says Redford, who established Sundance Institute in 1981.

Great Lodging Choices

The unique selection of hotels and other accommodations like Colorado Chautauqua also should be part of a list giving top five reasons to plan a meeting in Boulder. Groups that wish to stay downtown near Pearl Street Mall have two great properties with meeting and event space to consider: Hotel Boulderado and St Julien Hotel & Spa. Historic Hotel Boulderado was recently purchased by AJ Capital Partnership, which is planning a renovation for the property that will keep its name and become part of the Graduate by Hilton collection.

Not only has Boulder added a major new event to the calendar, but there are also two new hotels: Limelight Boulder on the CU Boulder Campus and Moxy Boulder on nearby University Hill. Slated to open this fall, Limelight Boulder has 252 guest rooms (including 42 suites) and 26,000 square feet of total event space (21,000 indoor and 5,000 outdoor). The 189-room Moxy Boulder opened in May 2024 and features more than 5,600 square feet of function space, a rooftop deck, and a courtyard where guests can enjoy firepits and live music.

Other great options around town include Hiltons on Canyon (a dual-branded Embassy Suites and Hilton Garden Inn), Boulder Marriott & Residence Inn also located on Canyon Boulevard, and Hampton Inn & Suites Boulder North. Including the two new hotels, Boulder has more than 2,800 hotel rooms.

Easy to Get Around

As mentioned earlier, Boulder is a compact, walkable city especially when staying downtown or near the University of Colorado campus. If groups need to hire a transportation company, there are numerous options available on the Front Range, including Boulder County-based Eight Black. Boulder also has a selection of bus routes to choose from (named Hop, Skip and Jump) and the Boulder BCycle bike-sharing program. These options along with Denver International Airport (DEN) being only a 45-minute drive make versatile transportation options among the top five reasons to plan a meeting in Boulder

Cool Venues & Activities

With 300 miles of public hiking and biking trails and approximately 45,000 acres of open space, there is plenty of room to explore during breaks from meeting agendas. Or head to places where attendees have numerous culinary choices such as Rayback Collective with an array of food trucks and one of two food halls: Avanti F&B Boulder and Rosetta Hall.

Visit Boulder can help groups find the perfect match for activities like yoga at a brewery, cooking classes, bike and brews excursions, food tours, hot-air balloon flights, and day trips to nearby Eldora Mountain Resort for skiing and snowboarding. For something truly unique, become winemakers for an afternoon at Bookcliff Vineyards or take part in a class with Boulder Circus Center or The Improv Collaborative.

I’d be remiss not to provide examples of interesting places to gather in tandem with unique activities, as many times it is possible to combine both. Check out the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder Theater, eTown Hall, Museum of Boulder, and Rembrandt Yard.

These top five reasons to plan a meeting in Boulder will get the wheels rolling when considering a gathering in this well-known Colorado community. Happy planning!

Top photo: Moxy Boulder is one of the community’s new hotels, courtesy Moxy Boulder

Colorado native Beth Buehler has been editor of Colorado Meetings + Events magazine for 20 years, helped launch Mountain Meetings magazine, and was on the team that introduced Southwest Meetings + Events. She has planned numerous meetings and events and enjoys exploring Colorado.