For Kids: This celebration is a party for a girl or a boy on their 15th birthday.
Most Quinceaneras are very fancy events. This celebration honors the beginning of a girl becoming a woman (or a boy becoming a man.)
The Quinceanera is the name of the celebration for girls. Each girl choose an escort for the party. At one time, 14 girls and 14 boys made up the Court of Honor. Today, that number is more typically 6 girls and 6 boys.
The boys wear tuxedos. Girls in the Court of Honor wear matching formal dresses that are made especially for this event. The birthday girl wears a white dress, which looks like a wedding dress. She also wears a special necklace her parents have bought her for this special day. Often she wears a tiara.
The court walks down the aisle together in pairs, followed by the Quinceanera and her escort. The walking and blessing celebration is followed by a big feast with music and dancing. There is a special cake that is cut. Every guest gets a piece of cake.
If this sounds like a wedding ceremony to you, it's not. It's a very special birthday party.