Escaping reality and entering a life of fantasy often seems like the ideal way to feed the desire for adventure and the crave for a look into the age of rebirth.
Through a series of themed weekends from Oct. 11 to Nov. 30, the banners of the 51st Texas Renaissance Festival will fall upon the enchanted woods of Todd Mission, Texas, about 55 miles northwest of Houston. Despite uncertainty by festival leaders regarding the continuation of the magical tradition after the founder’s death, the festival will go on.
George C. Coulam, founder of the Texas Renaissance Festival, known to generations of festival goers as “King George,” was found dead May 21, 2025, in his Todd Mission home, less than a mile from the festival grounds. Law enforcement agencies, including the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Rangers, responded after his housekeeper discovered his body in the early morning. Coulam was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 87.
By late May, local officials released the preliminary cause of death as suicide, and no foul play was suspected. This marked the end of an era for the man who transformed a patch of former mining land into a sprawling kingdom of revelry and artistry.
His passing came amid a period of increased legal pressure. Coulam was facing a court-ordered sale of the festival following a $60 million lawsuit. A private memorial service was held Oct. 4 at the festival grounds to honor his life’s work.
“My family and I go almost every year. It’s a great way to enjoy nature and support local vendors,” said a University of Houston-Downtown student. “But this year, I hope they’ll place more emphasis on honoring the founder. It’s an unfortunate situation.”
Since its humble beginning in 1974, the festival has grown into a grand spectacle of more than 70 acres, alive each autumn with costumed knights, jesters, merchants, tarot readers, fire-breathers, kings, queens and many modern-day travelers seeking a taste of another time.
