GUIDED by a long piece of string on the ground and a man with a bullhorn, hundreds of people — residents and visitors, young and old — stood shoulder to shoulder in Kapiolani Park on Monday in an attempt to form the world’s largest human peace sign.

Although they fell short, organizer Eric Butler said the spirit of the endeavor — on Martin Luther King Jr. Day — was achieved.

"It may not be a world record, but I think everyone in the crowd felt the energy out there and enjoyed it," Butler said. "It’s great because it meant coming in contact with people with a similar vision."

The record attempt coincided with the annual King Day unity rally at Kapiolani Park. A parade through Waikiki with several thousand participants preceded.

Butler, founder of the nonprofit World Peace Plan, organized the event to promote global peace.

Students from Kaimuki High School, where Butler serves on the PTA, participated in the record attempt, with school clubs encouraging students to attend.

"We’re supporting world peace by being in the sign," said Asia Paulino, a senior and a member of Kaimuki High School’s National Honor Society. "It’s important to get involved and make a difference, even by playing a small part."

The group was trying to break the unofficial world record — unverified by Guinness World Records — of 5,814 people forming a peace sign, set in 2008 at the Ithaca Festival in upstate New York.

Volunteers arranged a very long piece of string on an open expanse of Kapiolani Park. A miscommunication briefly resulted in an extra leg in the peace sign, but that didn’t faze Butler.

"Anything that could go wrong would go wrong," he said. "But we fixed it."

Brittany Athing, 26, of Nuuanu wanted to participate in the peace sign because "I just think it’s an important thing to be a part of," she said, adding, "I think the views Martin Luther King had are important to pay attention to, and it’s important to remember the work he’s done but also realize there’s still much more to do."

Waikiki residents Ron and Barbara Vargas, 82 and 81, respectively, said they wanted to "try to set a record for Hawaii."

Participants were arranged in the arrow-in-a-circle peace sign pattern. Butler said an estimated 2,100 people turned out.

"I’d rather have 2,100 people there, feeling peace, love and joy, than to have 6,000 complaining because it’s too hot, it’s taking too long, and are just not happy," he said. "If it’s about the numbers, then all you have to do is go to a football game and gather everyone at the end."

Earlier Monday morning, thousands gathered at Magic Island to march in the 25th annual King Day parade, sponsored and organized by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Coalition-Hawaii.

Marsha Joyner, a member of the coalition, said an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 people participated in the parade, which began at 9 a.m. at Magic Island, went through Waikiki on Kalakaua Avenue and ended at Kapiolani Park.

Sitting along the parade route, Ivory Griffin of Ewa Beach said he brought his wife and two daughters to Waikiki — a trip the family doesn’t make often — to watch the parade and attend the rally.

"We haven’t been here for a long time, but we thought it’d be good to bring the family," he said.

His wife, Jaclyn, said the parade "is a display to celebrate Martin Luther King, all the work he’s done not just for African-Americans, but women, minorities, a lot of different people."

She added, "He inspires us to do more with our own lives."

Many participants stayed for the unity rally at the park, which featured food booths, children’s activities and entertainment such as gospel groups and an Air Force jazz band.

"This is joyous. This is what Dr. King wanted," said Rear Adm. Fernandez "Frank" Ponds, commander of Navy Region Hawaii and one of the parade grand marshals. "This is actually his legacy, for those of us to come together — it doesn’t matter race, creed, color or gender. The only thing here is peace, love and happiness. The only thing he’s ever wanted is for all of us to be treated equally.

"I come from a family that believes in doing right, doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. This is what normal should look like. This is what right looks like."