Morgantown Crankie Festival - May 30, 2026

The Morgantown Crankie Festival is a weekend celebration of crankies—hand-cranked moving panorama performances that combine storytelling, music, puppetry, and visual art.

Artists from West Virginia, across Appalachia, and beyond will share original crankie performances. A crankie is a long illustrated scroll inside a small theater that is slowly turned to reveal images while performers sing, narrate, or play music, creating a unique form of visual storytelling.

Over two days, audiences will experience a wide variety of crankies: folk tales, original songs, experimental storytelling, and traditional ballads brought to life through moving images.

The festival features 19 performers and groups, including visiting and local artists. Each act presents a short crankie performance, creating an evening of diverse styles and stories.

This inaugural festival celebrates the growing crankie movement and Morgantown’s vibrant creative community. The event is organized by performer-composer Annick Odom and hosted by the Monongalia Arts Center.

Suggested donation: $10-25 (no one turned away for lack of funds)
Monongalia Arts Center – Morgantown, WV
Saturday evening, Sunday afternoon, and Sunday evening performances

The event spans a couple of days with different times:

Saturday- 7 p.m.
Sunday- 3 p.m.
Sunday- 7 p.m.
This event is perfect for music lovers, visual art fans, families, storytellers, and anyone curious about unusual forms of folk art!