A girl traditionally celebrates a quinceañera when she turns 15.
The Spanish word quinceañera refers both to the young woman and, in common English usage, to the celebration marking her fifteenth birthday. The custom is especially associated with Latin America, Spain-influenced communities, and Latino communities in the United States.
The birthday has symbolic importance because it traditionally marks a transition from childhood toward young womanhood. Modern families interpret that transition in different ways, and the event is not a universal legal or religious requirement. Some celebrations emphasize family, faith, music, and formal clothing, while others are adapted to local customs and personal preferences.
A quinceañera is therefore not simply any major birthday party: its defining age is fifteen. The celebration can include a religious service, a formal entrance, a court of honor, a father-daughter dance, and a reception, but no single program is followed everywhere.