will return to Reliant Center on\u00a0Aug. 30<\/a>, bringing together vendors that cater to the coming-of-age celebrations for\u00a0Latina teens. The one-day event will run from noon to 5 p.m. in Hall E.\u00a0<\/p>\nOrganized by My 15 Expo, the event is designed as a one-stop shop for families preparing for a quincea\u00f1era, a traditional celebration for a girl’s 15th birthday. Founder and owner Raul Jaurez said the Houston-based organization got its start in 2001 in a small space inside the former Town & Country Mall, in west Houston.<\/p>\n
Five years later, the expo moved to what is now Reliant Center, where it now draws an average of about 4,500 people.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“We started very small,” Jaurez\u00a0said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
More than two decades, later, families can browse\u00a0quincea\u00f1era dresses, hair and makeup services, tuxedos, invitations, cakes, catering, photography and event venues. The expo also advertises decorations, DJs, photo booths and limo businesses.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The event offers families a chance to compare vendors in person as they plan celebrations that can require coordinating several businesses, from finding a ballroom and catering to booking photographers and choosing formal wear.\u00a0A fashion show featuring local and national designers will offer a look at current\u00a0dress styles.<\/p>\n
Jaurez\u00a0describes the event as the country’s largest quincea\u00f1era trade show, providing deals to families and customers to vendors.\u00a0“Vendors give special discounts on the day of the expo,” Jaurez\u00a0said. “Vendors get new clients and families get special discounts.”<\/p>\n
The quincea\u00f1era tradition has long served as a rite of passage for many young girls in Latin American communities, marking their transition into adulthood at age 15. Celebrations vary across families and countries but often include formal gowns, food, family reunions, music and dancing. It’s history is rooted in ancient\u00a0Mesoamerica, including traditions practiced by indigenous groups such as the Mayans and Aztecs. Over time, it has evolved into a moment of celebration involving faith, family and heritage. In the U.S., the tradition remains strong in cities like Houston as a way to maintain cultural and family ties across generations.<\/p>\n
The expo will also feature a giveaway for a\u00a0quincea\u00f1era celebration. Jaurez\u00a0said future quincea\u00f1eras can register through My 15 Expo for a chance to win the party.<\/p>\n
Tickets for adults and children older than\u00a012 cost $16.20 online<\/a>. Parking at the stadium costs $25 plus tax per vehicle at the gate.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For families planning a quincea\u00f1era, finding the right dress, cake, choreographer, photographer and party venue can mean weeks…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":414055,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[56,58,57],"class_list":["post-414054","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-houston","tag-houston","tag-houston-headlines","tag-houston-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/414054","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=414054"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/414054\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/414055"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=414054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=414054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=414054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}