The city is well-known as home to the University of Colorado and annually holds several large events and festivals. Boulder was once home to the several nomadic Native American tribes. The Boulder City Town Company was founded in 1859, and the city was incorporated in 1871. The University of Colorado opened in the community in 1876. Today, the community is a major educational center in central Col
orado. The University of Colorado is home to more than 30,000 students. The city is also home to Naropa University, a small Buddhist-inspired institution. Several other academic institutions are also found in Boulder. The city's local economy is greatly influenced by the presence of the University of Colorado, which is the largest employer in Boulder. IBM also maintains large operations in the community. Other well-known companies operating in Boulder include Google, Ericsson, and Cisco Systems. Boulder is also home to a large conglomerate of science and research institutes. The Rocky Mountain Institute, an organization dedicated to researching and educating the public on sustainability is located in Boulder. Other prominent institutions include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy, and the Space Science Institute. Boulder is also a major cultural center. The city annually hosts the Boulder International Film Festival, which is held by the Colorado Film Society. The event has hosted more than 150 filmmakers from across the world since its inception. The community is also home to The Shoot Out 24 Hour Filmmaking Festival Boulder and the International Film Series. The University of Colorado is also responsible for several large events that are held throughout the year. The Colorado Shakespeare Festival is held on the university's campus each summer, and attracts more than 30,000 spectators. The university is also the home of the Big Freakin' Deal Film Festival. In addition to the cultural events on the University of Colorado campus, the school's sporting events annually draw hundreds of thousands to the community.
