Events · April 2027

Aspen Shortsfest 2027

Five days of short film at the Wheeler and the Isis, Oscar-qualifying, at the very start of Aspen's airport closure.

Aspen Shortsfest 2027, Aspen Film's Oscar-qualifying short film festival, runs April 6–10, 2027, its 36th year, with screenings at the Wheeler Opera House and the Isis. One timing matters: Aspen's airport closes at 11pm on April 4, 2027 for seven months. Arrive through Eagle, Rifle or Denver, or land in Aspen before the closure.

Festival dates from Aspen Film; airport dates from aspenairport.com; checked October 1, 2026. The 2027 program and passes are published closer to the festival.

Paul Montiel · Aspen · Updated October 2026

IThe festival

Dates, venues and passes

Dates: Tuesday–Saturday, April 6–10, 2027 (36th edition).
Status: Oscar-qualifying: winners can qualify for Academy Award consideration in the short film categories.
Venues: The Wheeler Opera House and the Isis Theatre, both downtown and walkable.
Passes: Published by Aspen Film ahead of the festival.

IIApril 2027

Arriving as the airport closes

Aspen (ASE): Last operations at 11pm on April 4, 2027; closed until November 19, 2027.What the closure changes
Eagle (EGE): About 70 miles, roughly an hour and a half by car in spring conditions.
Rifle (RIL): About an hour and a quarter; the usual choice for private aircraft.
Denver (DEN): 3½–4 hours via I-70 and Glenwood Springs; Independence Pass is still closed in early April.

Your Aspen, arranged

Your arrival, handled

Suitcases in a mountain home's entry, a fire lit beyond

From the aircraft door to a warm, stocked house, with nothing to carry and nothing to chase.

Priced to your stay

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Maroon Bells at first light

A mountain road through green aspen trees in early summer

The Maroon Bells before the crowds, coffee by the lake and home by late morning.

From $995 per group

Explore

IIIStaying

Spring in Aspen

The last ski week

Early April is the end of the ski season; check closing dates for each mountain if you want to ski between screenings.

Book near the Wheeler

Both venues are downtown. Staying in the core means walking between screenings and dinner.

Common questions

When is Aspen Shortsfest 2027?

April 6–10, 2027, the festival's 36th year.

Can I fly into Aspen for Shortsfest 2027?

Aspen's airport closes at 11pm on April 4, 2027. Land before then, or fly into Eagle, Rifle or Denver and drive.

Is Aspen Shortsfest Oscar-qualifying?

Yes. Aspen Shortsfest is an Oscar-qualifying festival.

Festival week, handled

The drive from Eagle, Rifle or Denver, a house downtown, and dinners timed around the screenings.

A black SUV driving along a snowy mountain highway at dusk, tail lights glowing

Arrival

Eagle to Aspen by private car

1 hr 15 – 1 hr 30Year-round

The 70-mile transfer from Eagle airport, flight tracked and re-timed around the canyon.

From USD 850/vehicle

Arrival

Your Arrival, Handled

Door to doorYear-round

We watch the flight from the moment it leaves. If it's on time, a driver is waiting, and wherever you are staying knows you are on your way. If it diverts to Eagle or cancels, the car, the bags and the house all move with it, and you hear from us before you have to ask.

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