TROY — The Troy Hidden Garden Tour will be held in-person next week, after going virtual in 2020 out of caution during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The tour, a fundraiser benefiting the Friends of Prospect Park, will be held rain or shine on Thursday, June 10 from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tourgoers will be expected to observe the New York State COVID protocols in effect in the Capital Region at the time.
There are 42 private and semi-private gardens on the self-guided walking tour this year, located throughout the Washington Park, Historic Sage and adjoining neighborhoods of downtown Troy. Tourgoers may check in any time after 4 p.m. in the Russell Sage College parking lot on First Street to receive the tour map.
The gardens may be visited in any order, though tourgoers may be steered toward certain gardens first to alleviate crowding. Since visiting all gardens on the tour during the event hours is unlikely, there are four suggested garden cluster tour routes between .5 miles and .8 miles walking distance.
The Washington Park neighborhood is one of the filming locations for HBO’s "The Gilded Age" and signs of production may be visible on the day of the tour. Tourgoers are encouraged to visit a real-life TV set at Monument Square during or after the garden tour, as it is also part of an elaborate backdrop for the series, a Victorian-era period drama from the creators of Downton Abbey.
The one-day Hidden Garden Tour, now in its 22nd year, has attracted more than 1,000 tourgoers in a single day in previous years.
Free event parking is provided at the Russell Sage College lot, located at First and Division streets. Additional free parking is available in lots farther south on First Street.
Tickets: $15 in advance and $20 at check-in. Advance tickets are available online at: www.hiddengardentour.com/tickets. Tickets will be cash only on the day of at the check-in table at the Russell Sage College Parking lot on First Street in downtown Troy.
