Texas Ren Festival Founder “King” George Coulam Dies at 87; Starred in HBO Documentary

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George Coulam, the founder of the popular Texas Renaissance Festival, has died. He was 87.

The vibrant “King George” was featured in the HBO documentary series titled “Ren Faire“, which debuted on their platform last year.

Early Wednesday morning, I got a dreadful call that left me stunned – my home caretaker had discovered the unfortunate passing of a fellow gamer legend in his own bed. The authorities are still investigating the cause of death.

Back in 1974, I was the one who kick-started this amazing annual festivity. Every autumn, for six consecutive weekends, you’ll find me hosting it in the heart of Todd Mission, Texas.

After George Coulam’s passing, the Texas Renaissance Festival shared the following on Facebook: “To our dearest Texas Renaissance community and friends: We are profoundly sorrowed by the demise of George Coulam, the creator of the Texas Renaissance Festival. Over half a century, he established a bond that has grown into a cherished custom for performers, staff, and visitors alike. In this moment of mourning, we kindly request understanding and privacy for Mr. Coulam’s family and the wider Texas Renaissance Festival community as they cope with their loss. As this is a very personal matter, we are not providing further comments at present.

The HBO documentary traced Coulam’s efforts to maintain control over the festival as he contemplated potential buyers.

As per reports from KHOU station in Houston, a Grimes County judge has sided against Coulam in a property ownership dispute regarding the festival. A group of purchasers alleged that Coulam reneged on a $60 million deal to sell the festival and adjacent lands after receiving an initial payment and closing costs. The judge mandated that Coulam proceed with the sale, ruling against him.

The station announced a message from Meril Rivard, president of Texas RF, Inc.: “We’re deeply shaken and mournful upon learning about George Coulam’s passing. Our sympathies are with his family. As ardent fans of the Texas Renaissance Festival like him, we remain dedicated to keeping the festival thriving, and we are tirelessly working towards that goal.

In a documentary about Ren Faire, I found myself pondering the idea of selling the fair, only to eventually reconsider. I even shared that my aspiration was to reach the ripe age of 95. During an interview with director Lance Oppenheim for Hollywood Reporter, he accurately predicted that I would keep oscillating between entertaining the thought of selling the festival and ultimately deciding to hold onto it.

It wasn’t until halfway through filming that I noticed George’s recurring patterns,” he explained. And it wasn’t until the final stages that I understood we had essentially recorded a continuous loop or endless cycle. In essence, this cycle persists even after we stop filming, having been in motion for decades. My hope is that viewers will grasp how everything was predestined and will continue to occur endlessly until George is gone.

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2025-05-22 03:25