When Sundance arrives in Boulder this January, residents will have to choose whether they want to kick off the new year by experiencing the fanfare or listing their home for festival lodging. For some homeowners, that could mean a significant payday, but setting the right price has proven a tricky task. Charge too little, and they could leave money on the table. Charge too much, and the eye-popping nightly rates could leave their listings empty. And perhaps the biggest question: Is it even worth handing over the keys to their house if it means missing Sundance’s inaugural year in Colorado?

Kuvy Ax, a Boulder-based public relations expert and Airbnb Superhost of 11 years, is still trying to decide. “I’m overwhelmed and don’t know what to do,” she says. “I’m in a world with lots of film friends. I’m in marketing. And I’m not hearing my people talking about attending. It’s almost like the benefits of going don’t outweigh the benefits of making that chunk [of money] all at once.”

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Ax says a local real estate agent recommended pricing homes at $1,000 per room per night during Sundance. Visit Boulder, meanwhile, has recommended rates closer to $300 per room per night. The wide range illustrates the challenge homeowners face: Boulder has never hosted an event quite like this, so there isn’t much historical data to help them figure out what their homes are worth.

And there’s no direct comparison to past Sundances either. Boulder is 10 times larger than Park City, where the festival was previously held, and its lodging market is fundamentally different. Homeowners in Park City made between $125 to $425 per night during the 2026 festival, according to Airbnb. For now, Boulder homeowners are essentially trying to predict what thousands of visitors will be willing to pay for a place to sleep within easy reach of the festival.

The demand is certainly there. Airbnb tells us searches for Boulder stays during Sundance are up 500 percent compared with the same period last year. And while some speculate that prices will end up somewhere closer to University of Colorado Boulder graduation and football game rates, the current listings don’t look that way. This charming little two-bedroom house in downtown Boulder was listed at $691/night for Homecoming, September 30 to October 3, 2026. Renting it during Sundance is $2,235/night—an astonishing 223 percent increase.

As we’ve been reporting this story, we’ve seen the houses listed closer to $300 per room per night disappear, meaning they’ve been booked. Just last week, we found a modest one-bedroom within a 15-minute walk of CU for $359/night, and a South Boulder three-bedroom for $795/night. But within a week, months out from the festival, they’ve been claimed. Meanwhile, this three-bedroom home in Gunbarrel raised its prices from $922/night to $1,825/night during the festival, and remains unbooked. (All Airbnb prices per publication on September 17, 2026.)

We’re still months out, but for Boulder homeowners, now may be the time to find the sweet spot: charging enough to capitalize on Sundance demand without pricing themselves out of the market completely. Those expensive listings will either need to hope their high-end clientele finds them, or drop their rates. Sundance also has a loyal base of repeat attendees and industry professionals who come back every year, so there’s real value in securing repeat renters. It might be worth offering a discount for returning guests—especially if they’re notable enough to bring some bragging rights.

Then there’s the question that doesn’t have a dollar sign attached to it: What happens to the house?

Ax says that’s one of her biggest concerns. “I’m worried about having parties in my house while I’m away,” she says. It’s an understandable fear. But Sundance isn’t a music festival—it’s a highly programmed event, with a packed schedule of screenings, panels, dinners, and parties at established venues throughout town. The festival’s social scene will largely take place outside private homes.

Even so, this will be new territory for Boulder homeowners and their guests. Some residents are already considering having someone stay behind or hiring a property manager.

For people who decide to rent, the city is making that process easier. Boulder created the Festival Lodging Rental License specifically to allow homeowners and tenants to rent their homes for up to 29 days a year during major festivals and events. The license is designed in part to expand lodging options during Sundance, when the city’s existing hotel inventory won’t be enough to accommodate demand. Louisville and Superior will also ease up their short-term rental requirements for Sundance.

Airbnb is sweetening the deal. The company is offering Boulder residents a $200 incentive to list their homes for the festival. To qualify, hosts must list their entire home, have not had an active listing before August 1, secure a booking by the end of December, and charge at least $100 before taxes. Renters can participate, too, provided they have permission from their landlords.

Airbnb’s goal is to add enough lodging to keep prices from skyrocketing—and help keep visitors in Boulder rather than pushing them to neighboring communities. More festivalgoers staying locally will mean more money spent at Boulder restaurants, bars, shops, and other businesses.

Paula DuPré Pesmen, Sundance’s managing director and a Boulder-based film director, says that’s the goal. “Our hope is that as many attendees as possible stay in and around Boulder so they can fully experience the community,” she says.

Whether locals choose to attend or not, Boulder is about to find out what Sundance is worth to the people who call it home.