Talafaaiva Ealim, a junior at Nanakuli High and Intermediate School, recalls the first time the Hawaii All State Marching Band practiced together this past weekend after arriving in the nation’s capital. As the band unloaded the bus, a sudden gust of wind chilled the group, he said. At first it was difficult playing instruments in the chilly weather, but Ealim, a percussionist, said the Hawaii kids pulled together and are excited to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday.

“Meeting the students from around the state is actually pretty fun. It’s kind of like teaching each other different stuff,” said Ealim, 16. “I’m excited to see everything, and also being able to play in that parade itself is pretty exciting.”

The Hawaii All State Marching Band, also known as Na Koa Alii, will be gracing the streets of New York to perform in the 90th annual parade for the third time. On Thanksgiving more than 400 band members, along with 200 hula dancers, will be representing Hawaii in front of millions of viewers, playing and dancing to tunes such as “Tahiti Tahiti” and “Mele Kalikimaka.” Band members will be wearing raffia skirts and custom-made aloha shirts.

The band — the parade’s largest musical ensemble — comprises select high school students from 41 public and private schools statewide. They were joined by about 650 parents and staff to tour sites in Washington, D.C., and New York, including the U.S. Capitol, the 9/11 Memorial and the Statue of Liberty.

The group arrived in the nation’s capital Saturday and practiced together for the first time at Fort Myer near Arlington National Cemetery across the Potomac River from Washington. The band performed in the Upper Senate Park on Monday and was greeted by U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono. They arrived in New York on Tuesday.

Destiny Benner, a hula dancer and senior at Kailua High School, said they had been practicing several hours every day since arriving in Washington. Benner, who turned 17 last week, said the experience traveling with the band has been the best birthday present.

“Everyone gets along really well. This is probably the best experience for not only me, but for everyone here,” Benner said. “I’m so excited to show everybody what we’ve been doing and working for.”

Henry Fu, Na Koa Alii’s performance director, said the students stepped up after initially having some “hiccups” at the first practice together due to the challenges of playing an instrument in such cold weather.

“I think it’ll be a good experience performing in front of a different crowd. This is the first time they’re going to be performing before a bigger audience,” said Fu, band director at Waipahu High School. “For a lot of them it was such a big step. They have to be away from their family. (But) it’s another step in the direction of growing up and being independent.”

Na Koa Alii, formed in 2002, performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2005 and 2011. The band also traveled to California in 2003, 2009 and 2013 to perform in the Rose Parade.

The students will be marching near a float made in collaboration with King’s Hawaiian bakery. Dubbed the “Aloha Spirit,” the three-story-tall float features a volcano, a flowing waterfall, palm trees and plumeria.

John Riggle, Na Koa Alii’s founder and managing director, said the goal of forming the all-state band was to provide students with opportunities that they might not have at their individual schools.

“I love to see them (students) get together and be cohesive in their performing and represent Hawaii,” Riggle said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime type of thing.”

The parade will air at 9 a.m. Thursday on NBC (KHNL).