The building's top is lit up with the Welsh flag colours

This year's 1 March celebrations come just two days after a Welshman was enthroned as the new Archbishop of Canterbury - for the first time in 1,000 years.

And the 2003 events to mark the birth of the patron saint of Wales include the Big Apple.

The dome of the Empire State Building in New York is being lit up in the Welsh colours of red, white and green for the first time in its history.

The project to light up the top of the structure - at one time the tallest building in the world - aims to highlight the contribution of the Welsh to America.

The idea of bathing it in the colours of the Welsh flag was raised last year, when Welsh first minister Rhodri Morgan celebrated the national day in New York with the city's St David's Society.

They didn't want to do it last year because it was too soon after the September 11 attacks, but they have looked at the request this year and said it was no problem Welsh Development Agency

The authorities responsible for the building agreed to switch the neon lights in the dome to red, white and green from dusk on Friday in honour of St David Day.

The lights remain in the Welsh flag colours on Saturday and Sunday nights.

A spokeswoman for the Welsh Development Agency said they were delighted at the offer, which comes free of charge.

"They didn't want to do it last year because it was too soon after the September 11 attacks, but they have looked at the request this year and said it was no problem," she said.

Award

Other events in New York this weekend to promote St David's Day included the annual St David's Society Banquet at The Yale Club on Friday night and, on Saturday afternoon, a performance at Trinity Church by the North American Welsh Choir.

Welsh-born BBC correspondent Stephen Evans is being honoured with an award for his work after the September the 11th terrorist attacks in New York.

The Bridgend-born journalist - who narrowly cheated death and sent vivid reports - is being awarded with the William Hopkin's Bronze medal by the St David's Society of New York.

Meanwhile in Pennsylvania - where the 12m population has the highest concentration of Welsh people outside of Wales - state leaders recently passed a resolution marking 1 March as St David's Day in honour of the state's Welsh heritage.

Stilts

Closer to home, the Welsh Development Agency led the way to a tasty St David's Day with a series of events to promote Welsh food and drink.

They kicked off on Friday with the launch of The Welsh Cheese Book at Cardiff's Old Library, a collection of recipes from celebrity cook Angela Gray.

And the food theme continued at Cardiff's central market on Saturday where women on stilts and dressed in traditional costume greeted visitors and gave away daffodils.

Michelin-star chef, Herbert Berger, adds his contribution to the tastes of Wales when he cooks a Welsh menu for a week at the restaurant, 1 Lombard Street, in London, from Monday 3 March.

Leek

And at the European Parliament in Brussels on the same day, a special Welsh evening reception is to be held, featuring food prepared by two members of the Welsh Culinary Team.

Before then, however, an hour-long service was held at Llandaff Cathedral from 1130 GMT on Saturday, attended by Cardiff's Lord Mayor, Councillor Russell Goodway, with singing from the cathedral's choristers.

And the Cardiff branch of SWS - whose membership includes the band The Stereophonics - is holding its party in The V Club in the city centre.

But the day was sure to come to the attention of visitors to Holywell on Saturday.

They were greeted by a giant leek which was walking around the town in honour of St David's Day.