Josh Clement of Saranac Lake band Darkside Skinny Dippers has a child in the crowd strum his guitar as the band plays at the Hotel Saranac on Feb. 1. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

SARANAC LAKE — Hometown band Darkside Skinny Dippers have emerged victorious as the champions of NYS Music’s 10th annual “March Madness” band competition.

At the start of the month, there were 32 emerging New York bands in the music and arts journalism non-profit’s bracket. After weeks of fierce competition with thousands of votes, DSkinnyD and Albany-based Glass Pony were left in the final two. The Darkside Skinny Dippers became the champions on Saturday.

“YAHOOOOOO!!” lead singer and guitarist Josh Clement exclaimed in a statement. “Bringing the title home to Saranac Lake and the surrounding little towns we grew up in is a beautiful thing.”

He thanked all the voters who stepped up to support them, said the band’s hard work and persistence paid off and gave love to all the other bands in the bracket.

“No band is better than another, just something different being offered to folks with differing tastes. Together we rock!” Clement said.

Saranac Lake ulterior folk band Nubble was in the competition, too. Nubble started in a different division and made it into the second round.

Clement had reached out to NYS Music before as a contact for booking gigs at venues. Getting on the organization’s March Madness bracket was a surprise. As a “natural skeptic,” he didn’t think it was worth it to enter, coming from such a small, rural area of the state. But hearing that it is a friendly competition between regional band looking for exposure, he agreed. He said when he’s booking gigs, it’s a lot of trying to convince someone who doesn’t know him or his band to take a chance on them.

“Most bands, particularly those from small towns, must convince venues, bookers promoters, etc., that they’re worth it,” Clement said. “Hopefully, this competition opens up a few new doors.”

After they made it to the second round, it got more “serious.”

“The whole thing is based on the effort that you make because you’re asking people to vote for you,” Clement said. “I don’t really do anything half.”

He started posting the voting link on social media and word got around. People must like to press voting buttons, Clement said.

“There might just be some love for your friendly neighborhood Darkside Skinny Dippers,” Clement said on Wednesday.

Their grand prize is a choice between two opportunities — a filmed concert at the Palace Theatre in Albany or a slot in a music festival later this year. Clement said they still have to decide which they’ll choose.

Darkside Skinny Dippers’ debut album, “Getting Nailed!” came out last Halloween. To read more about the album, go to tinyurl.com/yc5hf5xs.

Clement told NYS Music that they have “multiple projects in the fire.”

“The music scene in the North Country is as robust as ever,” Clement said.

Among the many venues they play at, he said The Rusty Nail in Saranac Lake holds a special place in their hearts.

NYS Music told Clement that Darkside Skinny Dippers is the first North Country band to take the crown since Lucid in 2014. Clement said he was in bands that played the same circles as Lucid back then.

May 19 will be Clement’s 30th anniversary of playing at bars around the North Country.

DSkinnyD hits the stage next at the Red Shed Ale House in Cherry Valley on May 17.