Mezcal Tastings at Exo Roast Co. Feel like drinking and learning at the same time? How about learning about what you drink? Mezcal-tasting proprietor Doug Smith is at Exo Roast, and will give you a high-quality education about high-quality mezcal. Come on, you live in Tucson, you’re surrounded by agave! You might as well know a bit about the plant and the drinks made from it. 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24. 403 N. Sixth Ave. $20. Details here.

The 20th Annual Animation Show of Shows. This latest entry to the Animation Show of Shows features over a dozen animated short films from across the world. Whether they’re hilarious, thought-provoking, heartwarming or just simply weird, the animations able to make it into this series are all certainly noteworthy. 7:30 to 9:15 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24. Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Regular admission prices.

Details.

The 20th Annual Animation Show of Shows Trailer from Acme Filmworks, Inc. on Vimeo.

Tom Russell. His life and music exemplifies, defines and inspired the so-called “Americana” genre. But don’t hold that against him. Born too late to be a Beat, he nonetheless played music for a Puerto Rican circus, was an ex-pat in Norway and carried on a decades-long friendship with Mister Charles Bukowski. Oh, and he penned one of Dylan and Springsteen’s favorite tunes in “Gallo del Cielo” and has been covered by the Man in Black. (He even earned a journalism award for writing eloquently of Cash’s place in musical history.) Russell’s is a tale of curiosity, perspective and American landscape perspective. The shit of the greats. Russell can exist both as a rugged romantic while artfully re-creating the experience across songs, paintings and books. Kind of a weirdo, then. On his latest, Folk Hotel, Russell is sparse and understated, introducing a wild cast of characters and spinning stories of the dying America mythic, that which perhaps only ever existed in the minds of those blessed enough to see it. Thursday, Jan. 24 at Hotel Congress, 211 E. Congress. 7 p.m. $30. 21+. Details here.

Becoming A Goat, And Other Adventures in Science and Technology. Oh, artists. Always pushing boundaries, exploring new mediums, trying to share crucial messages in beautiful ways. For example, designer Thomas Thwaites recently embarked on a project to become a goat. Yeah. Just literally turn into a goat to take a break from being human. At this talk, he’ll talk about the way he combines topics like economics, philosophy, science and history in projects like that goat one, and another one where he attempted to make an electric toaster from scratch. It’s going to be Tucson-tastic. 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24. Center for Creative Photography, 1030 N. Olive Road. Free. Details here.

Poet’s Corner. If you consider devices like rhyming and alliteration friends, this event at the Joyner-Green Valley Library might be one you want to attend. Whether you just wrote your first poem of you’ve been writing for years, sharing your work with other poets is a great way to get over your fears. Or maybe you like hearing and reading, but writing poetry’s not for you: Don’t worry, this even has room for your kind too. For anyone who appreciates the art you can make with words, head down today, because missing this would just be plain absurd. 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24. Joyner-Green Valley Library, 601 N. La Cañada Drive. Free. Details here.

Events compiled by Briannon Wilfong, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.