"Everything is out of sequence. But even that's become a tradition," said Allen, who appeared reasonably composed considering the stress she was under.

Hang around with longtime parade organizers and you'll learn a few things: The order of the entries is less important than making sure you don't put horses next to a marching band.

Always a mistake, said Allen, who speaks from experience.

She and others who've been associated with the parade for years say that every year they're just thankful the parade comes together. Increased costs, fewer volunteers and security restrictions have all taken a toll, they said.

Keahi Allen, who directed the parade for years before B.J., her daughter, took over, recalled how the parade nearly ended in the late 1990s after state funding disappeared. Only the goodwill of an 11th-hour benefactor saved the parade back then.

Michelle Whitesidds performed yesterday with the Hickam High School Marching Band of Columbia, Mo., in the King Kamehameha Day Parade. The annual holiday, which honors King Kamehameha I, was established in 1871 during the Hawaiian monarchy. Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

"People don't really realize that we're still trying to get funds," she said. "They think we've got it. We've had to cut back. We still need the community to support this. If they can support us with dollars, that's wonderful. But we need volunteers. We need people."

When the parade began in 1916, she said, people just came out and did it. It didn't cost anything to put it on.

Poni Kamauu, 51, has been part of the Kamehameha parade since he was a toddler and Hawai'i was a territory. The low-budget parade was still in place through the 1950s and even into the '60s, he recalled.

"It was just something everybody did," he said. "Everybody knew it was going to be on the 11th of June. All the auxiliaries and civic clubs would come together and they would just kokua."

Back then people simply showed up and had a parade, he said. You went to Aloha Tower — where they built the floats on the open piers — and pitched in.

"We did it without money. That's when the restrictions weren't what they are today. Now, you have rules and laws and permits and liability insurance; it's all different."

This year, B.J. Allen said, there were fewer floats than originally scheduled, because of Homeland Security restrictions.

"We would have had three more float units in the parade" she said. "Because of the war and security, any piers, harbors and all those locations where we used to build floats — we no longer have access to them.

"So, first we have no money, now we've got no place."

And then, after a pause, she had a final thought: "And yet, the parade goes on. And people are having a good time. And we're happy about that."