How do you Sundance?
Have you always wondered how to get tickets to Sundance movies? This year the Sundance Film Festival will take place January 21-31 at locations in Park City, Salt Lake City and Ogden. I’ll do my best to explain some of the ticket options to you.
This year the process is a little bit different as there is no advance registration required. Most of the process is online – there is no standing in line to purchase tickets, but there are designated times to login online and buy tickets.
Sundance offers both packages and individual tickets based on a first-come, first-serve basis for online purchase.
This handy website covers all the basis, including a FAQ must-read section.
Here’s a summary of how it works:
Beginning on October 14, at noon, MT, tickets packages go on sale. This includes festival passes which include all screenings, awards parties and credentials (this will set you back $3,000), to Locals Passes and Packages, running $300 and $400 for packages of 10 tickets. Individual local tickets are not available to purchase until January 14 for Utah locals, and January 19 for everyone else. Individual tickets are $20 each. When you purchase a package on October 14, you then wait until December 16 when you are notified via email what your ticket purchase timeslot is. Then on your allotted day, which will be sometime between January 6 and 8th, you will login online and make your purchase selection.
Tickets do go fast, so it is advised to figure out in advance your plan of action. Additionally, know what movies you want to try to get tickets for, and the screening times and locations. It is best to be prepared so the time you have online during the selection process is not wasted. However, don’t despair. If you do not get tickets to movies you want to see, there are a few more ways to get tickets:
- Day of Show tickets are sold at 8am at the Main Box Offices in Salt Lake City and Park City. Each morning a limited number of tickets are released for that day’s screenings. Be the first in line for your best chance to obtain tickets!
- A newer feature is the electronic E-Waitlist, an electronic waitlist you can join 2 hours prior to a screening. The eWaitlist will give you a number which is basically your place in line. Arrive no less than 30 minutes prior to the screening and find your place in line. Don’t worry, your chances are really good that you will get in as Sundance organizers want to fill every seat and in fact almost 15% of the audience typically obtains tickets via eWaitlist.
- Check KSL classifieds, Craigslist, Park Record online classified, and other social media sites to see if anyone has extra. You can also ask at the screening and bus stops if anyone has extra tickets. Sundance does not allow refunds, re-sales or transfers of tickets and of course, forbids the scalping of tickets. Just be careful if you need to try to find tickets.
So that you are aware, a Utah local is someone who has a Utah driver’s license. If you purchase locals tickets you will need to pick up the tickets with a matching Utah driver’s license to the address you recorded at the time of purchase. Out of state property management firms and owners of time shares are not locals.
If this whole process sounds confusing well, it sort of is. But, once you have done it once, you’ll have it down. The best advice I have is to read all the fine print and ask all your questions in advance, and be prepared so that you’ll know the ins and outs of Sundance!