A general term for a big ol' Southern gathering. May involve both family and friends. Always involves copious amounts of food (often potluck style), and hopefully some form of alcohol, be it PBR or moonshine.
A "holy hootinany" is slightly different. Similar to a regular hootinany, this is a social event often sponsored by your local Southern Baptist congregation. The main difference: replace PBR with preaching.
"Yeah, all our kin are gettin' together for a little covered-dish hootinany this Saturday. Cousin Fayleene's bringing that god-awful casserole."
"I got saved last Sunday afternoon, at that church barbeque. That Bible-thumping preacher scared the hell right out of me. Then they fed me till I about half died. That was a holy hootinany for the books."
an event that is more than a gathering but less than a dance party, grindin up on, cut the sexual tension with a knife, i'mma bust a cap in yo ass nukkahcrazy teenage party.
Oz: Well, a gathering is brie, mellow song stylings; shindig: dip, less mellow song stylings, perhaps a large amount of malt beverage; and hootenanny, well, it's chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny.
n. A LAN party also meeting the parameters necessary for a hootenanny, especially when occurring south of the Mason-Dixon line. WARNING: In order for a LAN party to be an official "LAN hootenanny", ALL ethernet cables MUST be home-made, and include at least four (4) VISIBLE home-made connections. Solder on those connections is highly optional! Excessive use of duct-tape on, around, inside of, or across any computers at a LAN hootenanny should always be expected. Excessive use of the word aight is recommended for the full effect.
OneShot: Hey, Btone, what we gonna do this here comin' weekend?
Btone: Wellheck, I don' know. What you say we have us a LAN hootenanny!?
OneShot: Aight. Les' go. Yer on.
Btone: Aight. You jest hold on; I'll be there in my ol' Chiv-ro-lett in jest a spell. Les' Git-R-Done.