KK City Day Brass Band Competition (18th Jan)
Held in conjunction with City Day, this competition will be featuring Brass bands from the primary and secondary schools within the vicinity of KK City.

Lion and Dragon Dance Festival (18th Jan)
This is an annual event that displays a dazzling, fancy combination of footwork and martial arts movements in a celebration of Chinese mythology to usher in happiness and prosperity.

North Borneo Railway City Day Charity Ride (25th Jan)
The North Borneo Railway was re-launched to commemorate the city status of Kota Kinabalu in 2000. During the 1st City Day Anniversary in 2001, one of the train's carriages was renamed "City of Kota Kinabalu" to mark the occasion. Today, the North Borneo Railway has become a valued state heritage and tourist attraction. For the City Day 2003 celebrations, the steam train, operated by Sutera Harbor Resort will take 120 children from the various charitable organizations on a ride to Papar, the rice bowl of Sabah!

Sutera Harbor Kayak Race 2003 (26th Jan)
Organized in conjunction with Kota Kinabalu City Day, this inaugural kayak race covers a distance of 7 kilometers from Sutera Harbor around the Mamutik Island and back to Sutera Harbor Marina.

February

Tun Mustapha Tower Jump 2003
A gathering of the world's top BASE jumpers for a full day of BASE JUMPING from the Tun Mustapha Tower facing the blue waters of Likas Bay. Participants jumping from the tower top will have a maximum of 8 seconds to impact using only one parachute system. BASE is an acronym that stands for Building, Antenna, Span and Earth and is the Extreme Sport of jumping from fixed objects from low altitudes.

Chinese New Year (1-2nd Feb)
Chinese all over the world celebrate their New Year and welcome the year of the Ram. Great fanfare, family reunion dinners and traditional lion, dragon, and unicorn dances will be performed from house to house.

City Day Celebration (2nd Feb)
Join the residents of Kota Kinabalu as they celebrate the third anniversary of Kota Kinabalu's status as a City. Various activities will be organized to mark this special occasion.

City Day Regatta (8-9th Feb)
This is a sailing regatta held over two days, comprising 6 races to determine the champions in different classes of boats. The festival was inaugurated in the year 2000 to celebrate the upgrading of Kota Kinabalu to City status.

Hari Raya Aidil Adha (12th Feb)
Every year Muslims around the world celebrate this day in the Islamic Calendar. It is the wish of every Muslim to go on pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca on this holy day.

March

Hong Leong Foundation Charity Run 2003
The run is held throughout the country and is aimed at reaching out to all Malaysians to come together for a common purpose - charity. This charity run will be held simultaneously across the country. In Sabah, the run will be held in Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.

Malaysia Mega Sale (Sabah) (1-31st March)
Shopping complexes and shops will be participating in this first of 3-part nationwide shopping carnival where shoppers can enjoy unbelievable offers, massive discounts and fantastic bargains.

Trans-Borneo World Heritage Trail (9-20th March)
An event opened to everyone and combines the best of Borneo's adventure, nature and culture. Disciplines cover trekking, caving, rafting, climbing, driving off-road. You will sleep in five-star, no-star and under the stars nature, the difficult terrains and relentless tropical weather will require you endurance, resilience and patience.

90th Anniversary Celebration of the Arrival of the Hakkas to Inanam - Menggatal - Telipok (14-15th March)
The Hakka people arrived in Sabah around 1913. They developed various areas within the Kota Kinabalu vicinity and founded the towns of Inanam, Menggatal and Telipok. In commemoration of their efforts, pioneer memorial lectures will be held, as well as an exhibition, sampling of Hakka cuisines, and traditional games competitions and many more.

28th Kiwanis Asia Pacific (ASPAC) Convention (20-22nd March)
Theme: "Growth in Diversity" This year, the annual gathering of delegates from the Kiwanis Districts in Asia Pacific meet in Kota Kinabalu to discuss progress in the region, elect representatives to the Kiwanis Board of Trustees, participate in forums, business sessions and fellowship.

Sabah Charity Challenge 2003 (30th March - 10th April)
This is a varied and stimulating challenge event for Leonard Cheshire incorporating a trek to Mt. Kinabalu, the highest peak in South East Asia, a cross-country cycle, white water rafting and scuba diving.

Kinabalu Challenge 2003 (4-12th April)
The Kinabalu Challenge is a unique corporate adventure race through the jungles, rivers, mountains and seas of Sabah. Through their participation the international teams raise money for Raleigh International's charitable activities.

Water Festival - Regatta Lepa Semporna (13th April)
The Bajau seafarers from Semporna invite all to enjoy this festival of lepas, their colorful traditional sailboats. Witness the competition of the most beautiful lepa and telematches like the boat tug-of-war and duck-catching. The town of Semporna is also home to fresh seafood and gateway to the world's best dive sites.

Vasakhi Day (13th April)
The Vasakhi Day is a celebration of the New Year in the Northern Indian Calendar to commemorate the day on which the 10th Sikh's Guru Gobind Singh Ji created the Sikh's 'Khalsa Panth'. During the Vasakhi celebration, all Gurdawars (Sikh Temples) have prayers and vegetarian food is served to all who visit the Gurdawars.

Sabah Adventure Challenge 2003 (18-20th April)
A 3-day adventure race, that covers teams jungle trekking, mountain biking, rafting over Sabah's scenic but rugged, jungle clad landscape and sea-kayaking around the tropical off-shore islands.

Borneo Extreme Adventure Race (BEAR) (25th April - 5th May)
Teams of four competitors race nonstop for 10 days (day and night) on an approximate distance of 700 km. The race disciplines include mountain biking, sea kayaking, mountain running, river rafting, orienteering, abseiling, high passes, bush and jungle trekking.

Dama Orchestra Concerts 2003 (26-27th April)
An enchanting musical presentation of songs by Li Xiang Lan, a leading songstress of the 30s-60s, 'Fragrance of the Night' will be performed on the first night featuring soprano Tan Soo Suan with songs which were treasured gems of the Shi Dai Qu era. The second night will feature 'A Musical Sojourn', with songs that will take you across various great continents of the world as Dama shares with you their view of the world. This is Dama Orchestra's fourth appearance in Kota Kinabalu. Don't miss the two-night performance and the opportunity to experience Chinese music in its most beautiful form.

May

Pesta Kaamatan (1-31st May)
Pesta Kaamatan is a month-long traditional Harvest Festival Celebration, beginning at district level on May 1st and culminating at the state level on May 30th- 31st. Highlights include the traditional thanksgiving ceremony by the Bobohizan or High Priestess, Unduk Ngadau or traditional Harvest Queen Pageant, Cultural Dances and merry-making.

Bobohizans: The Shaman Priestesses of Sabah (1-30th May)
A month-long exhibition on the work of the magic-mystical shaman priestesses of
Sabah will bring the visitors closer to the ancient, traditional beliefs of the local Dusunic community. There will also be a series of authentic rites at the village like the Magavau, Humabot, Monogit and Momodu blessing rituals.

Sabah Fest 2003 - Cultural Extravaganza (16-17th May)
Sabah Fest is a celebration of the different mix of cultures found in Sabah, offering opportunities to listen to ethnic music and enjoy cultural dances in a colorful and lively setting that is definitive of Sabah's people, customs and traditions.

11th Sabah International Triathlon (25th May)
Join top tri-athletes from around the world in Asia's most challenging Borneo race. This race is also an ITU point race and part of the Asian Cup series.

Harvest Festival Regatta (30-31st May)
A colorful annual regatta held in conjunction with the Harvest Festival holiday season. Sailing enthusiasts come all over Borneo for this merry occasion.

June

9th Kinabalu Kiwanis Treasure Hunt (29th June)
An annual charity fund raising motorized treasure hunt organized by the Club in aid of its Kiwanis Down Syndrome Center and community service projects undertaken by the club.

July

Food and Fruits Festival (5-6th July)
Malaysian culinary fare is a delightful mix of flavors and sensations, reflecting the influences of the many races and ethnic groups in the country. Locals and visitors are spoilt for choice when it comes to food and fruits. During this festival, there is plenty of opportunities to try out the fabulous range of Asian and international cuisine, as well as sample a variety of exotic tropical fruits.

Sutera Harbor Challenge Trophy (12-13th July)
Jointly organized with the Kinabalu Yatch Club, this annual sailing event is held in conjunction with Sutera Harbor's Anniversary, featuring optimists, 470's and Lasers races between Sutera Harbor Marina and the Kinabalu Yatch Club for the coveted Sutera Harbor Challenge Trophy.

5th International Mt. Kinabalu Mountain Bike Challenge 2003 (27th July)
With a distance of 31 km, the Challenge starts and ends at the foothills of Mt. Kinabalu at Kampung Kiau. This year's racecourse will offer the best of its adventure and promises to be tougher and more challenging than the previous years.

August

Malaysia Mega Sale (Sabah)
The 2nd part of the nationwide shopping carnival held in conjunction with the Merdeka month celebration.

Kota Kinabalu Music Fest
Our young musicians will be competing and showcasing their skills in this popular, annual Classical music competition. Applications from piano, vocal or any orchestral instrument are welcome, or alternatively you can just come and listen!

An Evening with Marianne Olyver and Geoffrey Pratley
A violinist and pianist duo from the United Kingdom will be performing in a concert in Kota Kinabalu and conducting master classes for young aspiring performers here.

National Day (31st August)
This colorful day marks the 46th Birthday of Malaysia, and the City of Kota Kinabalu is decorated with bright lights with lots of fun activities, concerts, cultural shows and fireworks to celebrate the country's independence.

Merdeka Day Regatta (30-31st August)
Held in conjunction with the Merdeka Day celebrations, this regatta uses different classes of boats and is opened to sailors from around the world.

September

Paragliding Acrobatic Flying Demonstration
A team of international paraglider pilots will gather in Sabah to fly new skies around
Mount Kinabalu and Kota Kinabalu coast, offering the general public the opportunity to either try out a scenic tandem flight or just watch the breathtaking acrobatic demonstration show.

Annual Orchid Show 2003
The Annual Orchid Show organized by the Borneo Orchid Society Sabah is a yearly floral extravaganza with more than 1000 orchids in full blooms in the shades of the rainbow. Both the spectacularly colorful hybrids and the more subtle-colored native species are exhibited for three days. There are more than 1000 indigenous orchid species found in Sabah and Mount Kinabalu - Malaysia's first World Heritage Site - is home to more than 600 species and many are found nowhere else in the world!

Moon Cake Festival (11th September)
The Moon Cake Festival is also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival which falls on the 15th day of the eighth Chinese Lunar Calendar. This is a historical festival rather than a religious one for the Chinese people as it marks the successful rebellion against the Mongol ruler dating back to 14th century China. Legend has indicated that the secret plot against the Mongolians was hidden inside the moon cake and the moon cake was distributed widely. Today, this festival is celebrated with moon cakes and lanterns.

October

17th Mt. Kinabalu International Climbathon (4-5th October)
The world's toughest mountain race! Normally it takes two days to reach Borneo's highest peak (4,095.2m), but the participants of this race take only three hours plus. Come and witness the world's top mountain runners as they take on the challenges of the punishing steps to the summit of Mt. Kinabalu.

Borneo Safari (26th October - 2nd November)
Venture deep into Sabah's heart with powerful 4WDs and track through the world's most beautiful jungle terrain. Fit for those who love adventure and challenges that is out of the ordinary.

November

Beads Exhibition (1-30th November)
Beads, more than fashionable attire were once valued as personal wealth and even as charms. Loan exhibits from the Sabah State Museum will add to the collection of the village, and give visitors an exclusive insight into ancient jewelry. There will be replicas of ancient beads sales at the village, but also modern and fashionable beaded jewelry.

December

Malaysia Mega Sale (Sabah)
The last shopping carnival of the year, it is your final chance to bargain for those goods as the participating outlets go on sale with massive discounts.

Traditional Weddings Displays (6, 13, 20 & 27 December)
Re-enactments of traditional Kadazan weddings are held every weekend this month. The wedding starts at 2 pm with the arrival of the bride by boat. She is brought to the house of her future husband, where the couple is wed by the village elders. The union is sanctioned by the high priestess. Traditional snacks, rice-wine, and merry-making for everybody follow the ceremony.