For generations, Latino families have used the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens as a backdrop for quinceañera photo shoots. Now the iconic waterfront villa in Miami has gone all in on the tradition — with its second annual "Everyone's Quince" event.
For Latino families, a quinceañera marks a girl’s 15th birthday and her transition into young adulthood. The celebration is defined by long parties full of festivities and, most importantly, professional photos.
It has become a part of South Florida's culture — nowhere more so than at Vizcaya, the former winter estate of businessman James Deering, which is now owned by Miami-Dade County.
Vizcaya’s Associate Director María Carla Chicuén says they’ve seen as many as 15 families taking quinceañera photos at the gardens in a single day.
In fact Chicuén, who came to Miami from Cuba with her family in 2002 at 14, celebrated her own quinceañera with photos at Vizcaya.
“ It was a beautiful summer day. I was there with my parents, my sister, and my godmother,” she said. “It was our first time at Vizcaya, and it felt like the most special day to be able to celebrate.”
Adapting to life in a new country was difficult for her and her family. However, these photos helped her finally feel like a part of Miami.
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“Celebrating my quince, it just felt like an achievement … and we felt very much embraced,” she said. “It felt like a step into our new community.”
In recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month and to commemorate the coming-of-age event, Vizcaya hosted its second annual "Vizcaya Late: Everyone’s Quince" on Sept. 18.
The event included live Latin music, salsa dancing, group artmaking and a big cake typical of a quinceañera.
"Everyone’s Quince" brings the full experience to the museum, and it's open to all. Whether they’ve had a quinceañera or have never attended one, it's open to all.
The quince has already happened, but Vizcaya is planning to keep the experiences alive.
They want to create a permanent home for visitors' stories of their quinces. Through the Beyond Vizcaya digital initiative, the organization has partnered with many community members to collect oral histories about Miami that it can share with visitors.
“ We have partnered closely with our Little Bahamas community, for example, to create a repository of stories,” Chicuén said. “So we are very excited to grow this archive and collect the testimonials and the experiences of so many quinceañeras … and then to offer visitors the opportunity to hear these voices directly.”
