The 23rd annual Night of Joy took of today at the Magic Kingdom at Disney World.
Many new features will be highlighted through Night of Joy 2005, including several Christian artists performing for the first time their songs inspired by Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media's upcoming release The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. The Walt Disney Company will also use the stage opportunity to do some serious promoting for this upcoming holiday film, slated to hit theatres December 9th, 2005.
In addition, the Night of Joy 2005 stage will be an opportunity to introduce new faces to the gospel music scene. Due to this year’s collaboration of Disney World and the GMA (Gospel Music Association), the over-all winners from the GMA's 31st Annual "Music in the Rockies" event will come to perform at Night of Joy for the first time. In exchange, Walt Disney World Entertainment has previously provided judges during the Rockies on July 31-August 6.
Another ‘new face’ performing at the Night of Joy will include the winner of a different national Christian music talent search called “Kellogg's Gospel Sing Off 2005”, which is a competition for youth church Gospel choirs from selected cities. Teen gospel sensation Kierra "KiKi" Sheard-- also the host of the event-- will perform with the winner at Night of Joy.
This year, Disney World will be promoting a new host for the Night of Joy. Up to last year, it was the artists on stage that spent time introducing their upcoming CDs or tours, etc. Starting next month, it will be Mickey Mouse who’ll will be entrusted with this faithful commission, making the Night of Joy 2005 all the more exciting and new.
Tens of thousands of church-goers will descend on the Magic Kingdom this fall to listen to the best in Christian Pop, Rock and Gospel. Here are the listings of top Grammy/Dove award winning artists who will be performing during the two magical days.
Friday, September 9
MercyMe
Steven Curtis Chapman
Audio Adrenaline
Casting Crowns
Nicole C. Mullen
Mark Schultz
Big Daddy Weave
Matthew West
Vicky Beeching
Saturday, September 10
newsboys
tobyMac
Donnie McClurkin
CeCe Winans
Kutless
Superchic[k]
Tree63
Further Seems Forever
Kierra Kiki Sheard
stellar kart
