Crankie Fest
Greenfield Crankie Fest brings this 19th-century folk art form to life through illustrated scrolls, hand-cranked movement, and live storytelling. A crankie works like a small moving picture show, with images rolling past a viewing window as songs or stories unfold. Long before film, this simple device created animation through paper, fabric, light, and motion. This annual festival gathers puppeteers from across the Northeast for an afternoon that connects folk art, visual storytelling, theater history, and the handmade mechanics of moving images. Fit for all ages.
