While Christmas might come only once a year, who says Halloween has to?

That line of thinking has led to the Monster Mash, a costume-themed show that benefits the American Cancer Society.

“Originally it was going to be the afterparty for the Richmond Zombie Walk,” says event creator Myles Shifflett. Halloween is a popular holiday in Richmond, and rather than compete with other excellent ghoulish events, he and the other organizers decided to postpone the show until Friday the 13th in January.

The show will take place at the Republic, and is slated to feature Black Girls, Cardinal Compass, Postcards and Shifflett’s one-man band, 6 Track Amateur. All of the bands performing will be dressed to the nines.

“I hope it will be a blast with a bunch of silly, creative people,” Shifflett says. His act, for example, will have him playing with cardboard cut-out band members that include Jesus on drums, a robot on bass and a pirate Hitler on guitar.

“It’s really odd,” he says.

Shifflett held the same event a year ago, but this is the first time it will benefit charity. At the last event, he says there were plenty of zombies and monsters. “I was a zombie that had been run over,” Shifflett says.

For this year’s show, bands are still deciding on their costumes. “If I have it my way, we’ll probably do professional wrestlers,” says Drew Gillihan, the singer for the headlining Black Girls. “It’s going to be a spooky event. I’m trying to bring the spooky back.”

Jami Bohdan, the Republic’s general manager, says that the restaurant will have food specials and monster-themed drinks on hand. “We love doing things like this,” Bohdan says. To encourage people to dress up, admission will be $5 for monsters, $3 for nonmonsters.

As for founder Shifflett, he just wants people to have a fun time and help a good cause in the process. “I try to put on shows that revive a sense of silliness,” he says with some understatement. S

“Monster Mash” will take place Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Republic, 2053 W. Broad St. Admission is $3 for monsters and $5 for nonmonsters. For information, call 592-4444 or visit therepublicrva.com.