The Washington’s Birthday Celebration Association (WBCA) along with the Improved Order of the Red Men honored the 2026 Order of the Red Men Spirit Award recipient Gabriel Castillo, as part of a special presentation held at the La Posada Hotel Welcome Luncheon Friday, February 20, 2026 during the 128th Celebration.
Gabriel Castillo has assisted WBCA and WBCA Affiliate Organizations in multiple capacities for several decades. From assisting the WBCA Office with their marketing and promotion efforts, to designing WBCA’s iconic travel float, Castillo truly encompasses what it means to “do more.” Over the years, Castillo has served as a WBCA Board Member and chaired the WBCA Parade Judge’s Committee. He also assisted in coordinating the WBCA parade grandstand area, and the hospitality areas for both the IBC/Commerce Bank Youth Parade Under the Stars and Anheuser-Busch Washington’s Birthday Parade for over a decade.
Not only that, but Castillo also assisted WBCA Affiliate Organizations in multiple capacities. For example, he assisted the Society of Martha Washington with stage and backdrops for the Colonial Pageants and later, also lent his talents to assist with program scripts, November presentations, float design and a multitude of other special events. His contributions did not go unnoticed and in 2015, he even portrayed “George Washington.” Additionally, he chaired the promotions committee as a board member of WBCA’s former affiliate organization, the Laredo Main Street Association and the organization’s Jamboozie Festival.
Castillo’s passion for the arts and his community is evident through the multiple organizations he has been a part of and through the multitude of awards he has received. He served as Treasurer of the Mexican Cultural Institute of Laredo. He was awarded the Arts and Culture Preservation Award by the Webb County Heritage Foundation in 1999. Other recognitions include in 2009, he was recognized as a Martin High School Tiger Legend. Additionally, he received the Ohtli Award in 2013 from the Mexican Consul for his contributions to the prosperity of Mexican communities.
Castillo promotes WBCA and Laredo every chance he gets during his free time and while at work. He is a contributing writer for the Laredo Morning Times. His popular column, Surfing the City, covers commentaries on the border’s cultural atmosphere. For several years, he also served as the founding editor of LMT’s Divino Magazine, covering Laredo lifestyle and society. For many years, Castillo was also the Executive Director at the Laredo Center for the Arts where he combined his passion and dedication for the arts by providing a venue for arts performances, presentations and exhibitions in the community, oftentimes assisting WBCA with their annual commemorative WBCA Poster Unveiling. He is currently the Senior Vice President of Corporate Marketing for International Bank of Commerce, which sponsors the IBC/Commerce Bank Youth Parade Under the Stars and continues to contribute to WBCA by serving on the committee to review student applications and help select scholarship award recipients of the IBC/Commerce Bank Youth Parade Under the Stars Scholarship granted on behalf of WBCA and IBC/Commerce Bank.
