Renaissance festivals: the hidden gems of the world. These aren't just places for people to walk around with sweaty costumes, geeky weapons, and idiosyncratic personalities. For those who attend these festivals—like me—they are a new world full of magic and possibility.

I took my first steps at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Texas, where my family had been attending and performing for years previously. When I turned 18, we added a second fair to our annual lineup, the Castle of Muskogee in Muskogee, OK.

These fairs are homes to the lovers and outcasts of the historical buffs as well as the goth, steampunk, and fantasy subcultures. People like us spend all year saving up money and crafting clothing or other items for the one weekend we get to travel back to the early and middle centuries of the second millennium.

Here's where the issue comes in — renaissance festivals all over the world are getting canceled like it's the Bubonic Plague all over again. Only this time it is because of social distancing measures to avoid the spread of coronavirus. Of course, these measures are necessary, but that doesn't mean anyone has to be happy about it either.

To make matters worse, the renaissance fair attendees actually get the short end of the stick. There are some businesses that rely solely on the Bohemian lifestyle of traveling from festival to festival in order to sell their unique products like soaps, jewelries, food, and more. But because of the closures, about a year's worth of income has the potential to vanish from their pockets like some twisted trick of the king's jester.

Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?

As ren-fair frequents would say — yes, hazah! If COVID-19 has taught us anything about the human race, it is that we are a mighty and resilient species. There are dozens of Facebook pages dedicated to bringing American fairs to internet spectators every single weekend (I recommend this one). These weekends include performers adorned with their typical renaissance attire and promotions for the traveling shops and their online sales.

Nothing compares to a renaissance festival experienced in person, but the digital versions experienced in light of the coronavirus are an exhilarating substitute and a beautiful testament to the perseverance and passion of those who participate in them.