As the final ten days of January approach each year, there appear to be two local trains of thought: “Yay – Sundance is coming!” And, “Oh, no – Sundance is coming.”
Turning your “Nay” into a “Yay” as a local can be as simple as procuring tickets or passes for the Festival and jumping into the fray feet first. Certain festival pass opportunities went on sale today at noon, while others start tomorrow, so here are a few quick and dirty details (Note: Actual screenings are selected in January, once the Festival Guide is released):
On-sale Oct. 25
Utah Locals passes and packages went on sale at noon and are available until they’re sold out. This is the best opportunity to get the locals SLC Pass (access to all Salt Lake theatres), or the 10-ticket package, which comes with credentials (vs. buying tickets individually, which is an option starting Jan. 11).
On-sale Oct. 26
Festival Passes, available to all (not just locals) went on sale to Sundance Institute members on Oct. 24, but go on sale to the general public tomorrow (Oct. 26). These passes allow you to enter screenings without tickets, but are limited to either the first or second half of the Festival, along with other restrictions (such as being theater-specific). Ticket packages for the general public, as well as those for students, also go on sale on Oct. 26.
Finally, individual tickets go on sale January 11 (as mentioned above), however, Sundance Institute members at any level can purchase tickets one day early, on January 10. Memberships start at $65, and have some pretty cool bennies, so you might want to check it out here, especially if it helps get you tickets to screenings for films receiving pre-Festival buzz.
As a local, making Sundance a positive experience by planning in advance is just one of the many reasons new visitors and residents Choose Park City year after year!