Step into a whimsical world of old-school, pre-cinematic storytelling at Burlington County’s 4th Annual Crankie Festival at Arts After Dark.
See, hear, and experience:
The Crankies (Hand-Cranked Story Boxes)
The absolute stars of the show are the “crankies” themselves. A crankie is a traditional folk-art storytelling device. When you watch a performance, you will see:
The absolute stars of the show are the “crankies” themselves. A crankie is a traditional folk-art storytelling device. When you watch a performance, you will see:
• The Boxes: Intricate, custom-built wooden boxes fitted with a viewing window, often beautifully lit from within or behind using shadows and backlighting.
• The Scrolls: Long, hand-drawn, paper-cut, or embroidered scrolls wound onto two spools inside the box. As the performer turns a hand crank, the scroll moves across the window, displaying a continuous, panoramic moving picture.
• Live Accompaniment: As the images scroll by, artists bring them to life right in front of you by singing a traditional ballad, playing tunes on old-time instruments (like the banjo, fiddle, or the unique Swedish keyed fiddle called a nyckelharpa), or telling a story.
Spellbinding Performances & Shadow Puppetry
Spellbinding Performances & Shadow Puppetry
Watch distinct, intimate shows created by regional and national artists. The lineup features stunning visual styles, including:
• Intricate Paper-Cuts & Shadow Play: Captivating, hand-cut paper silhouettes and animations that cast dramatic shadows across the scroll window.
• Folk Tales & Ballads: Moving performances that interpret history, community narratives, and traditional American, Canadian, or Appalachian folk tales.
The Broader “Arts After Dark” Atmosphere
Because the Crankie Festival is embedded within the larger Arts After Dark event, the entire Historic Smithville Park transforms into an illuminated outdoor canvas once the sun goes down. Alongside the crankies, you will see:
Because the Crankie Festival is embedded within the larger Arts After Dark event, the entire Historic Smithville Park transforms into an illuminated outdoor canvas once the sun goes down. Alongside the crankies, you will see:
• Light & Cinema Shows: Fantastic projection displays that light up the historic Smithville Mansion and its grounds.
• Interactive Art: An interactive black-light art show inside the historic Smithville barn and live mural-painting demonstrations.
• More Galleries & Crafts: Late-night access to current gallery exhibits, typewriter poetry, and art demonstrations—all paired with live music, local food trucks, and wine and cheese tastings.
For more information visit: https://www.burlingtoncountynj.gov/…/Burlington-County…