the winding of time, memory, and imagination

Asheville Crankie Fest is a celebration of artists, musicians, and makers who gather to awaken the ancient art of the crankie — a moving scroll where image and melody weave together to form a tapestry. This is an art form with historical roots in cultures from around the world, but is near and dear to our Appalachian musicians sharing heartfelt ballads as they travel through the valleys. Painted, printed, cut, and sewn scrolls show these stories as the cranker tells and sings them, inviting the audience along on the journey. The handmade meets the heartfelt, and the simple act of cranking becomes a spell — winding time, memory, and imagination together.

Two women are performing on stage, one is standing and the other is sitting on a stool, with musicians playing guitar and accordion in the background.
A man is playing an acoustic guitar while sitting on a stool, with two women and a puppet show setup including a puppet in front labeled 'Poet Cows'. The scene appears to be a performance or storytelling event in a venue with stage lighting and a backdrop.

Fede Collina and friends

Jen Murphy and Allan Wolf

Thank you Asheville and friends for
a wonderful SOLD OUT inaugural fest!

nature, texture, iceland, moody, photography, otherworldly iceland, underground, underworld, otherwordly, woodland,
Audience watching a stage performance with two women standing in front of a puppet theater backdrop and a large screen behind them, all inside a dimly lit venue with string lights hanging from the ceiling.

Molly Sawyer and Jessica White

We’ll be back next year with more shows and more programming!

Submissions for the 2027 fest will open this summer.

A young girl with red hair standing beside a puppetry stage, focusing on a puppet performance with a lighted backdrop, in a dark theater setting.

Primrose Coke

A woman with glasses working at a DJ console on a dark stage.

Jessica White

Two men playing guitars on stage during a live performance, with a backdrop of black curtains and stage equipment, including microphone stands and chairs.

Jeff Keith and Kevin Kehrberg

Two women performing on stage with musical instruments, a violin and a banjo, in a dark room with black curtains.

Molly Sawyer and Sheila

Musicians practicing on a small stage, including a woman with an acoustic guitar, a woman with a violin, a man with a banjo, and a man walking on stage, in a dimly lit room with black curtains and acoustic lighting.

Emma Rast and friends

Dimly lit performance venue with a small stage where musicians are setting up instruments. Behind them is a screen with a colorful, abstract graphic. The ceiling has warm string lights, and the background wall features illustrations of musicians.

We’ll also host crankie workshops in & around Asheville this year!

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Line drawing of hands holding a framed landscape photo of sun rising over mountains and a river, with a banner above reading 'Asheville Crankie Fest' and a banner below reading 'The Grey Eagle Jan. 10, 2026'.
Four women standing together indoors in front of a wall with framed posters. Two women on the left are wearing dark clothing, one with glasses and a mask. The two women on the right are smiling, one with a gray hair and the other with a curly hair and a hat.

Our amazing crew!

Thanks to Jessica Stark for providing photos!