The current record of 3,500 dancers was set on Sept. 21, 1996, on the beach in Waikiki to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Aloha Festivals.

Aloha Festivals would like to break the old record in Waikiki at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Participants will dance to "Waikiki" and "Aloha Week Hula."

This effort will also coincide with the 55th anniversary of Aloha Festivals' Annual Waikiki Ho'olaule'a.

Participants registered to dance in the "Longest Hula Line" event will be automatically entered for a chance to win an Island Princess gift basket.

"In commemorating this milestone, we are hoping not just to improve on the former Guinness record, but to create a new world record," Charlian Wright, president of Aloha Festivals, said in a news release issued today.

"We think we can not only break it but far exceed the record with 5,000 dancers. Imagine hula dancers lining the beach in Waikiki from the Hilton Hawaiian Village all the way to Queen's Beach."

Aloha Festivals is asking for participants from hula halau, schools, clubs and dance studios from Japan and Hawai'i to participate.

Registration forms are available at the Aloha Festivals office at Ward Warehouse, above Nohea Gallery, or go to www.alohafestivals.com for a form.

For more information contact 'Iwalani Tseu at iwalanihula1@yahoo.com, or Aloha Festivals at 808-953-0555 or info@alohafestivals.com.

In 1947, Aloha Week was created as a public festival to honor the cosmopolitan heritage of Hawai'i through music, dance and history. The first Aloha Week was held during the fall as a modern-day makahiki, the ancient Hawaiian festival of music, dance, games and feasting.

By 1974, Aloha Week expanded to a month-long slate of activities, with events on six islands. In 1991, it was renamed Aloha Festivals to reflect the festival's expansion. The festival now encompasses hundreds of events. Aloha Festivals features a parade and ho'olaule'a, or block party on each island, and showcases events that are unique to certain islands such as the Ms. Aloha Nui Contest on the Big Island honoring the large stature of island women.