King George Coulam, Founder of the Texas Renaissance Festival, Died at Age 87
George Coulam was a complicated man.
Published May 22 2025, 3:04 p.m. ET
There are few things more special than a Renaissance festival, which brings together lords and ladies from all walks of life. While they tend to have their fair (pun intended) share of former drama club kids, one can also find dude bros, families, influencer gals, history buffs, and even the occasional furry. It's a gathering of fans of whatever thing they love the most, which is why you might walk by both Anne Boleyn and Luke Skywalker on any given day. Acceptance is the currency.
The largest Renaissance festival in the United States is located in Todd Mission, Texas, and was founded in 1974 by two brothers. David and George Coulam were obsessed with RenFests and after a couple of unsuccessful tries, finally landed on the property outside of Houston. For the next five decades, it grew to cover 55 acres of land, where George was once mayor. David passed away in 2017 and George followed in May 2025, leaving behind a complicated legacy. Let's look at his net worth.
George Coulam's net worth was reportedly in the millions.
In June 2024, HBO's Ren Faire documentary took viewers into the world of George's kingdom. The three-part series centered around the octogenarian deciding on who to hand the reigns of the RenFest over to. It was basically The Crown meets Succession. While we were not privy to George's actual net worth, we do know he was aiming to sell the event for $60 million and had a 200-acre estate valued at $30 million. His business also had nearly $5 million in the bank as of 2022.
George Coulam
Business owner, mayor
Net worth: $95 million
George Coulam was an American business owner. He was the founder and one-time owner of the Texas Renaissance Festival, the largest Renaissance fair in the United States.
Birth date: May 2, 1937
Birthplace: Salt Lake City, Utah
Birth name: George C. Coulam
Marriages: Susie Coulam (m. 1999 - div. ?)
Education: Masters in Art from the University of California at Northridge
By the end of the docuseries, George still hadn't chosen a successor. In May 2025, a group of investors were granted $22 million in damages and $1 million in legal fees by a Texas judge, after George allegedly backed out of a $60 million deal. The latter was also ordered to pay more than $20 million in damages, reported CHRON. This same week, George was also ousted as Todd Mission's mayor, a position he held since 1982, after losing to City Councilman Stephen Mensing.
George Coulam's cause of death has yet to be revealed.
George's death was originally reported by The Navasota Examiner on May 21, 2025, and confirmed by Todd Mission City Manager, Neal Wendele. The outlet heard via police scanners that George may have died from a gunshot wound, but this has not been confirmed. According to ABC 13, a housekeeper found George unresponsive at his home in Todd Mission.
Following the news of his death, The Texas Renaissance Festival released a statement to the public saying they were deeply saddened by the loss. They went on to say that for over 50 years, George "built a community that has become a cherished tradition for generations of performers, staff, and guests." The statement also asked for privacy at this time. Meril Rivard, president of Texas RF, Inc., shared a statement to KHOU sharing his condolences while assuring fans the festival will go on.