KAILUA — The used flower pots were going cheap. The old compact disc rack, still in good condition, was a bargain. The "A Bug's Life" videotape, maybe not so much. But everyone seemed to want the two stylish red chairs out in front of "Ms. Rusty's" home on Kainalu Drive, just near the end of the annual Fourth of July parade route.

"Everyone wants to buy them but my daughter won't sell," said Rusty Sakalauskas, whose family has held a Fourth of July garage sale every year for more than four decades, almost as long as the 60-year-old parade. "So I'm probably going to go sit out there on one of them."

For Sakalauskas, and others who live here, the parade is all about tradition, a small town's way of showing the best of itself. It is about Little Leaguers and baton twirlers, Shriners and Rotarians, Famous Amos and the guy who dresses up as Abraham Lincoln.

Hundreds of people yesterday morning laid out their mats, their tents and their beach chairs and spent a few hours under partly sunny skies celebrating the nation's independence — and each other.

"I'm a townie now, but we wanted to come back for old-time's sake," said Mei Nakamoto, a lawyer who lives over the Pali in St. Louis Heights.

No one frowns at a parade. Sara Anslow, a concierge for United Airlines, dressed her little dog, Corky, in a necklace of red, white and blue ribbon. The dog did not appear to mind. "He has outfits for everything," she explained. "He can do opera. He can do scuba."

Asked to describe her own fabulous lavender and pink hat, with a small American flag attached, Anslow had one word: "Fuzzy," she said.

The parade is to politicians like a runway is to fashion models. Gov. Linda Lingle walked the route with Bailey, 8, the daughter of Lillian Koller, the director of the state's Department of Human Services. Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona had a juggler with his entourage and volunteers who gave out free guava juice. Mayor Mufi Hannemann had the Royal Hawaiian Band in tow.

Some could not resist a double dip. U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka and U.S. Rep. Ed Case, rivals in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, did the route twice, once as elected officials, the second time as candidates.

"They realize what a wonderful place Kailua is," said state Senate Minority Leader Fred Hemmings, R-25th (Kailua, Waimanalo, Hawai'i Kai), of the parade's popularity. "It's definitely a parade any smart politician wants to be in. This represents what is great about small-town America."

Along with retail politics, there was simply retail.

Martial artists did a street display and advertised classes. People promoted beads and natural foods. Passion Parties was selling what it described as "confidential, educational and fun in-home parties for women."

Keoni Sanders and his fiancee, Antonia, passed out invitations with discounts for their new salon, "The Fix." "Is this about Jesus?" one woman asked warily when handed a flier. "No, it's about hair," Antonia said.

Kacie Miyama, 6, waited patiently with her mother, Sheryl, through the politicians, sales pitches and chamber of commerce types. Finally, something really cool was coming. "Mom, I see a horse," she said with excitement.

The horses, with cowboys and cowgirls dressed in red, white and blue, trotted by slowly, if a little too aromatically. Kacie held her nose and toughed it out while ranch hands quickly cleaned up the street. After they had passed, she looked up at her mother. "It still stinks," she said.

No worries. The Sassafras Twirlers and the Kailua High School cheerleaders — "Go Surfriders!" — were still to come. Bagpipers, too.

Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com.