Freedom Square

An urban cultural and spiritual oasis located at the corner where 5th and 6th Avenues meet 101st Street, a block from the Hudson River in North Troy, NY. Freedom Square is a place to gather, exchange ideas, reflect, celebrate and nourish both body and soul. Our beautiful tiled stage, conceptualized by mural artist Isaiah Zagar, came to life through the hard work of community volunteers.

This mystical corner is an outdoor space where the Sanctuary hosts festivals and community events, serving as our resident arts and culture space. Freedom Square was born from community efforts; from the garden, fenced by repurposed bicycle wheels, to the Freedom Square stage, made up of a mosaic of tiles crafted by dedicated Troy volunteers.

The square serves as a venue for a host of seasonal celebrations. These festivities are always free and open to the public, featuring different community organizations, various musicians, and food sourced from the Collard City Growers’ Garden, just a block away. One such seasonal celebration is our annual “StoryHarvest: From Seed to Table,” addressing food justice during the seasonal harvest. This event encourages diverse members of the community to come together to celebrate and connect over stories of food. StoryHarvest connects art, culture and food to strive for the health and welfare of our community.

Freedom Festival is another annual gathering that takes place at the close of our spring events season, commemorating the start of summertime. The ability and safety to creatively express oneself is essential to freedom. Freedom Festival showcases different community activists and artists, local and visiting, that celebrate that freedom through their work. Freedom Festival, as with all Sanctuary events, is a space for community members to forge meaningful connections with each other, exchanging ideas and perspectives.