Drivers will face detours and road closures downtown from today until March 20.

City officials will close the streets because of the 25th annual South By Southwest Music and Media Conference, which began today, and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 12.

Roads will close today at 2 p.m. and will be open on March 20 by 6 p.m. A majority of closures will be around the Sixth Street entertainment district between March 16 and March 20. The area between Barton Springs Road and Fourth Street will close at 8:30 a.m. for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade this Saturday.

Buses will be a major form of transportation throughout the entire week, and Capital Metro will offer rail services every Friday evening in March along with the two Saturdays during South By Southwest, Capital Metro spokeswoman Misty Whited said. Bus routes will face detours because of the closed streets, but there will be signs directing people to the nearest bus stop, Whited said.

“Q buses will also be available downtown,” she said. “We position them in places downtown to wait until needed and utilize them when overcrowding occurs on routes.”