Thousands expected to pack downtown Orlando for St. Patrick's Day, March Madness

ORLANDO, Fla. - Downtown Orlando will be packed on Friday with thousands of people ready to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and March Madness at the Amway Center.

Extra security will be in place and people decked out in green are expected to start heading downtown as early as Friday afternoon. 

With March Madness games also being played at the Amway Center this weekend, the crowds will be tuning in to keep up with their teams and brackets.

Local bars have been decorated for St. Patrick's Day for the past few days. On Wall Street Plaza, managers say they’ve secured the extra bartenders and security they will need.

RELATED: Celebrating St. Patrick's Day in Orlando

Similar to other major holidays like New Year’s Eve, there will be an added police presence with checkpoints and dogs to sniff out weapons. Happening on Monday, there is an upcoming vote that could require bars to foot the bill for added security if they want to stay open past midnight.