Dixon, Ill.-based country quartet Slamabama, which won the third Briggs & Stratton Battle of the Bands plays Summerfest on Saturday.

The group earned the Saturday afternoon slot at Summerfest with the victory. Slamabama beat out nearly 200 other bands from around the world – including the other two top finalists, Milwaukee's Matthew Haeffel and Indiana's A Hero en Route – for the title in the three-month-long online contest.

"Winning the Briggs & Stratton Battle of the Bands contest is really a dream come true for all of us," said J Juliano, guitarist and one of the lead singers for Slamabama. "We knew it would be tough competing against top bands from all over, but thanks to our many fans who voted for us here in the Midwest and from around the world, we will be playing Summerfest and helping open for Phil Vassar!

"That's a great opportunity for any band and we are very thankful!"

Slamabama – which also includes singer Rosanna Juliano, bassist Dennis Gilpatrick and drummer Derek Bernal – gets to help inaugurate the new Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard stage, which got a major renewal since last year's festival as part of a larger project that also re-made much of the south end of the Henry Maier Festival Park.

Catch Slamabama at 2 p.m. on the Briggs stage on Saturday, July 2. At noon, you can check out last year's contest winner, St. Louis' This is Energy.