The Power of Music Festival started in 2014 and has been a hit with music lovers. This festival showcases those who are behind the scenes in the music industry, the songwriters. It was created by the I’ll Fly Away Foundation in order to raise money to further their efforts of changing student’s lives through music. The I’ll Fly Away Foundation was started in remembrance of Albert E, Brumley, the songwriter of the well-known song, “I’ll Fly Away.” The foundation focuses on school aged children with different levels of learning abilities through their program called “You Can Fly.” Using the art of songwriting, trained administrators teach students strategies and concepts for teamwork and creativity that they are not exposed to through traditional school work. If a child is having a hard time understanding a school subject, they are encouraged to write a song about it to express their feelings. The You Can Fly program was launched in 2014 and has reached more than 6,000 students. The impact that the I’ll Fly Away Foundation has had on students in Northwest Arkansas and the surrounding areas is something to be celebrated and the Power of Music Festival does just that.
This year the festival kicked off the weekend by hosting Bentonville’s First Friday. First Friday is put on by Downtown Bentonville Inc. monthly and they describe it as a “giant neighborhood block party.” They have merchant and food vendors come and set up on the Bentonville square to encourage the community to see all that Downtown Bentonville has to offer. Each First Friday has a different theme in order to encourage certain businesses to come out and participate. Some of the upcoming themes include Living Local, Great Outdoors, and Back to School. There are so many activities and freebies for kids and adults to enjoy! 
This First Friday, the live music was provided by the Power of Music Festival. They had local and national singer/songwriters take the stage and showcase their music. The Power of Music Festival continued their weekend with a masterclass hosted by 3 music executives, the BMG Songwriter’s Showcase, and a Sunday Beer & Hymns event at Bike Rack Brewing. Many songwriters come to this event in order to get in front of big names in the music industry. We think it is important to highlight those who are normally behind the scenes and bring them to center stage. We love that Power of Music puts a unique spin on music festivals and raises funds for a great cause that benefits the youth in our community.
