I’ve been invited to my friend’s quincenera at the end of May. I’m not totally sure what it is. I know it’s a Hispanic tradition for girls and you dance at them (my friend was talking about dance lessons…not good:( ), but what’s the significance of the quincenera and what do you do at one? (It sounds pretty formal, from what little I know)
Here’s a good article on it.
It’s very formal. It’s a mixture of a confirmation and sweet sixteen, sort of. Historically, this is when a young girl became a woman and her quincenera was when she would sort of be shown off to the different suitors. Different countries have different customs when it comes to what specifically goes on, so you should probably just ask your friend. But basically, it’s a fairly formal birthday party with food and dancing and good times.
I would recommend just asking your friend what’s expected of you.
Oh yeah, many times a special Mass is held. But I suspect that you won’t be expected to go that. Again, check with your friend.
That’s spelled quinceañera. It comes from the Spanish that means ‘fifteen years’.
The tradition of the party remains, the “shown off to the different suitors” probably doesn’t. It didn’t many years ago when I was a teenager. expect grandmotherly supervision. Things do change. 
Have fun. There will be boys, IIRC.
The ones I’ve attended have been all day affairs. (No double entendre intended)
My personal experience, and with any luck YMMV, they’ve always begun on a Saturday, starting mid-morning with a poorly attended mass, then there’s a break upon which the action moves to a restaurant where a big mid-afternoon meal is served, followed by a longer break followed by a large formal evening meal at a banquet hall featuring a never-closing cash bar, followed thereafter by a dance at the same location, ending around or about 2:00 a.m.
What’s really cool, though, is that anyone with a paper invitation can bring as many people as they want to the banquet/dance, unannounced, resulting in standing-room-only situations and never enough food, leading to many paper-invitationless single and unfed men looking for dates while drinking, standing, for hours. Unattached women have been in short supply at these fiestas, leading to much frustration.
Generally, each of the first three events have taken place in distinct and distant towns, so there is also a car-rally element to the festivitities. Breakdowns, bailouts and really bad directions are central elements.
The best part of the unscheduled but generally present entertainment includes at least a few live drunken fist fights and copious property damage by the end of the night. YMMV, however, because my wife’s family is rather violent.
Good luck, bring a gift of jewelery or cash for the girl, pace yourself and have fun.
The food is well worth it.
mmm…asado…