WELLINGTON - The South Florida Fairgrounds' annual Fright Nights opens Thursday, Oct. 9 and runs until Nov. 1. More than 35,000 people are expected to attend the scare fest.

"This is the most popular [Halloween event] south of Orlando," said Woody Graber, a spokesperson for Fright Nights. "It's the biggest thing in South Florida."

This year features three haunted houses: The Smiths, Country Bill's Meat Market and Dead End. There will also be a midway with games and eight major rides, and new this year, Sick Flicks Cinema, which will play horror movies all evening.

Coming back for the second year will be the world renowned Brothers Grim Sideshow, an authentic sideshow modeled after sideshows of the 1920s. The sideshow bills itself as the "The World's Greatest Collection of Human Oddities, Strange People and Novel Entertainers."

Some of its novel acts include a sword swallower, fire eater, a half-boy, a lizard man, a pumpkin head and a wolf man.

Jason Parsley can be reached at jeparsley@tribune.com.

If You Go:
What: Fright NIghts 2008
When: Thurs. through Sun. Oct. 9 to Nov. 1; also Sun. Oct. 26
Time: 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. weeknights; 6 p.m. to midnight weekends
Place: South Florida Fairgrounds, 9067 Southern Blvd.
Parking: Free
Admission: Wristband $25; Ticket $15 (includes 1 admission to each attraction)