Keith & Kristyn Getty’s Joy-An Irish Christmas will kick off its annual North American tour on Nov. 20. One of America’s favorite annual holiday shows, Joy-An Irish Christmas is a lively celebration of the birth of Christ as told through an evening of traditional holiday carols, contemporary hymns, Irish folk music, bluegrass and spectacular step dancing.

Getty Music will present the 2015 tour to 20+ cities including performances at such prestigious venues as The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. (Nov. 30), a return to New York’s Carnegie Hall (Dec. 11), Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto (Nov. 23), The Fox Theatre in Atlanta (Dec. 21), Verizon Hall at The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia (Dec. 7) and Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center (Dec. 22).

Accompanying the Gettys will be their band of virtuoso musicians from North America and Ireland, a multi-generational choir and special guests in selected cities. The first half of each evening’s performance will feature a village celebration theme with festive and upbeat songs, while the second half will be more reflective, including Keith and Kristyn’s carols and the telling of the Christmas Story. Following each performance*, as patrons exit the theater, the music will continue into the lobby with an interactive acoustic jam that invites the audience to sing and dance along with the band. The lobby jam has has become the hallmark of the tour and is a Christmas concert experience unique to Joy-An Irish Christmas. (*All venues EXCEPT for Carnegie Hall).

Hailing from Northern Ireland, Keith and Kristyn Getty are among the most celebrated contemporary hymn writers in the world. One of Keith’s most popular compositions, “In Christ Alone,” (co-written with Stuart Townend) is estimated to be sung by as many as 100 million people each year; it is the #1 most-sung hymn in the UK and among the top 20 most-sung hymns in the USA, Canada, and Australia. The duo has released 6 albums and performed at notable venues as diverse as London’s Royal Albert Hall and the Grand Ole Opry.

Now in its 4th year, Joy-An Irish Christmas tour began in 2010, with a brief hiatus in 2013 as the couple awaited the arrival of their second child. By the end of 2015, more than 200,000 people throughout North America will have seen The Getty’s annual Christmas tour.

This holiday season, coinciding with the tour is a Joy-An Irish Christmas concert special airing on Public Television stations across the United States (check local listings). Filmed on the 2014 tour, the TV special brings the magic of the holiday season with favorites like “Carol of the Bells” and “Deck the Halls,” plus new and original hymns such as the Celtic lullaby, “A Mother’s Prayer,” “Joy Has Dawned” and “O Children Come.” The performance is highlighted by the couple’s acclaimed ensemble of top Irish and American folk and bluegrass musicians whose credits include Broadway’s Riverdance, Hollywood feature films, and numerous awards and citations. On October 9, a DVD and CD of the television special will also be available for sale at retailers and online outlets, including a special MFIT version for iTunes.

2015 tour dates are listed below, and additional information regarding each concert is available at: https://www.gettymusic.com/Christmas

11/20 Cincinnati, OH – Northern Kentucky Convention Center
11/23 Toronto, On – Roy Thompson Hall
11/27 Detroit, MI – Max M. And Marjorie S. Fisher Center
11/28 Matthews, NC – Christ Covenant Church
11/29 Matthews, NC – Christ Covenant Church
11/30 Washington, D.C. – The John F. Kennedy For The Performing Arts Concert Hall
12/1 Canfield, OH – Old North Church
12/3 Montgomery, AL – Montgomery Performing Arts Centre
12/6 Greensboro, NC – Westover Church
12/7 Philadelphia, PA – Verizon Hall At The Kimmel Center For The Performing Arts
12/9 Camp Hill, PA – Christian Life Assembly
12/11 New York, NY – Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage At Carnegie Hall
12/13 Louisville, KY – Southeast Christian Church
12/14 Cleveland, OH – Severance Hall
12/15 Indianapolis, IN – Clowes Memorial Hall
12/16 Milwaukee, WI – Elmbrook Church
12/18 Columbia, SC – Township Auditorium
12/19 Orlando, FL – Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre
12/20 Birmingham, AL – Briarwood Presbyterian Church
12/21 Atlanta, GA – The Fox Theatre
12/22 Nashville, TN – The Schermerhorn Symphony Center