Overview

• George Coulam, founder of the Texas Renaissance Festival and longtime mayor of Todd Mission, was found dead in his home on May 21, 2025, at the age of 87.
• The Texas Rangers and Grimes County Sheriff’s Office are leading an ongoing investigation into the cause of death, which remains undetermined.
• Earlier this month, a Grimes County judge ordered Coulam to sell the festival and awarded $23 million in damages and legal fees to plaintiffs in a civil lawsuit over a failed $60 million sale.
• The Texas Renaissance Festival, founded by Coulam in 1974, has grown into the largest event of its kind in the United States, attracting over 500,000 visitors annually.
• Festival organizers have confirmed that the 2025 season will proceed as planned, continuing the event’s cultural and economic legacy.