GRIMES COUNTY, TX- Just before 9 am Wednesday morning, George Coulam, aka “King George” of the Texas Renaissance Festival, was found dead in his home this morning. No other information is available regarding his death at this time. The Todd Mission Police is being assisted by Grimes County Investigators and the Texas Rangers in the investigation.

George Coulam established the TRF in 1974 on a former strip mining site in Todd Mission, Texas. Under his leadership, the festival grew into the largest Renaissance fair in the United States, attracting over 500,000 visitors annually. In 1982, Coulam and others incorporated the city of Todd Mission, where the festival is held. He served as mayor until May 2025, when he lost re-election to Stephen Mensing.  In 2023, Coulam agreed to sell the TRF for $60 million to a group of buyers. However, he later backed out of the deal, leading to a lawsuit. In May 2025, a judge ordered Coulam to proceed with the sale and pay over $23 million in damages and attorney fees. Coulam’s management of the TRF and the succession struggle were the subjects of the 2024 HBO docuseries “Ren Faire,” which highlighted internal conflicts and Coulam’s controversial leadership style. Coulam has faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment, with lawsuits filed by former personal assistants in 2018 and 2020.  Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Coulam earned a master’s degree in art from the University of California at Northridge. He resides on a 200-acre estate in Todd Mission, known as Stargate Manor. 

 In 2012, Coulam published a book titled “Mind-Wars,” in which he claimed that holistic medicine reversed his Alzheimer’s disease. His creation of the TRF has had a lasting influence on Renaissance fairs in the U.S., with the festival’s model being replicated nationwide.