FREE Joey Gallo Gangster Walking Tour in Brooklyn

May 14, 2009 by Lauren Fairbanks

Red Hook, Brooklyn

Ever wanted to walk in the steps of famous Brooklyn gangsters? Want to revel in the notoriously exciting moments of New York history that culminated in gang war and the spilling of innocent (or not so innocent) blood? Tom Folsom, author of The Mad Ones: Crazy Joe Gallo and the Revolution at the Edge of the Underworld is offering a walking tour of Crazy Joe Gallo’s (the famous New York City gangster that was shot in front of Umberto’s Clam House) haunts. Kicking off the release of his new book, the tours will start this Saturday, May 16th and Saturday, May 23rd with some free movie screenings, book discussions and photo exhibits thrown in throughout the rest of the month.

From the press release:

Coinciding with The Mad Ones publication, Joey Gallo Month is being celebrated in May in Red Hook, sponsored by Freebird Books. Beginning May 9, Folsom will host a series of gangster walking tours every Saturday in Red Hook (tagline: “Red Hook is going to the mattresses — and we’re not talking about Ikea”). Details here.

.

The gangster tour will cover the classic Gallo turf: the old docks, the shop-lined streets and sites where the Gallo brothers “went to the mattresses” in a guerilla war against the Mafia, and the funeral home where Joey lay in state. Other festivities include a screening of the film version of Jimmy Breslin’s The Gang that Couldn’t Shoot Straight, starring Joey Gallo’s friend Jerry Orbach, as well as a gallery exhibition opening on May 30.

RSVP’s are highly encouraged to make sure you have a spot in the tour, so call 718-643-8484 or shoot an email over to info@freebirdbooks.com to reserve your spot.

Photo credit: postopp1