Storm Lake officer and Guard sergeant to speak at 2026 ceremony
Storm Lake chose Officer Gerardo Bravo to speak at its 2026 Patriotic Ceremony, putting a local police officer and National Guard sergeant at the center of the July 4 celebration.
Storm Lake Police Officer and Iowa Army National Guard Staff Sergeant Gerardo Bravo was selected as the featured speaker for the 2026 Patriotic Ceremony, placing a longtime city patrol officer at the center of one of Storm Lake’s biggest holiday-week traditions. The announcement lands as the Star Spangled Spectacular moves toward its July 3-4 run in Sunset Park.
The Patriotic Ceremony is scheduled for Friday, July 3, at 5:30 p.m. in Sunset Park. After the ceremony, the Storm Lake Municipal Band is set to perform, followed by PetRock Band at 7:00 p.m. The 2026 celebration carries the theme “Built on Freedom. Bound by Community,” a fitting frame for an event that organizers say draws more than 10,000 visitors each year.
Bravo’s selection gives the ceremony a speaker with both municipal and military ties. He has served as a Storm Lake patrol officer since 2016, and he is also a staff sergeant in the Iowa Army National Guard. Bravo is a Storm Lake High School graduate, and he and his wife, Jessica, are raising their daughter, Emilia, in Storm Lake.
His record in local law enforcement has already put him in the public eye. Storm Lake Police Chief Chris Cole previously named Bravo Officer of the Year and praised his professionalism, public-service skills and communication. The department also recognized Bravo for work tied to an EMS assist, a Florida traffic-fatality response and other major cases. In 2024, Bravo and Officer Thomas Lane received a MADD Hero Award.
Storm Lake’s Patriotic Ceremony has recently featured speakers with military backgrounds, including Sergeant Liliana Solis in 2024 and First Sergeant, Ret., Dale Tokheim in 2025. Bravo’s selection continues that pattern while keeping the spotlight on someone who lives and works in the community the celebration serves.
The Star Spangled Spectacular is volunteer-led and community-funded, with a 2026 fundraising goal of $50,000 to cover entertainment, fireworks, insurance, golf cart rentals, T-shirts, postage and other costs. With Bravo set to speak in Sunset Park, the ceremony will reflect the mix of civic duty and public service that has become central to Storm Lake’s Independence Day celebration.
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