The second annual Wareham Oyster Festival was graced with blue skies and sun this Sunday, a far cry from the chilly, grey drizzle of last year.

The pleasant weather meant many more people came out this year than last year -- but it also meant the oysters went much more quickly than anticipated, said Michael Besse, co-owner and operator of Wareham’s Indian Cove Aquaculture.

Besse said he and his crew of three sold out of all 700 oysters they brought in under three hours, a little before the halfway point of the festival, which ran from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“If we had had any idea this was going to be this big, we would have brought a lot more, but, unfortunately, we didn’t,” Besse said. “I think, in another year, because of the amount of people that are here, and the publicity that went on, I think there’s going to be more oyster growers next year here, too.”

The Oyster Festival kicked off with a 5k race at 10 a.m., which drew 69 participants. The winner of the race was Justin Whitney, 35, of Douglas, who crossed the line in 18:19. The first Wareham finisher was Nichole Stahmer, who finished 11th overall in a time of 25:11. The race started and finished on Main Street as crowds cheered and vendors prepared for the afternoon ahead.

Despite the publicity put out by the Wareham Village Association, festival attendees Tynisa McKelvey and Dionne Wiley, of Taunton, said they learned about the event from Google, which gave them a list of events close to them.

“I wasn’t looking up anything,” McKelvey said, referring to how she found out about the festival. “I was like, ‘Oh, this sounds interesting. I like oysters, and it’s not too far.’”

McKelvey and Wiley said they wanted to try all the oysters at the festival.

“The first selection that we chose, the longnecks, are really good,” Wiley said. “You could tell it’s really fresh. That made it extra-good”

But it wasn’t just the oyster farmers who saw business that day. Mary Nyman, a local artisan and writer of Wareham, said a woman from Boston bought several pieces of jewelery from her, which Nyman said she hoped would up her exposure in areas outside Wareham.

Even artisans from nearby locales got some good exposure. Kristi Marshall, of Marion, owner of Herb Infusion, which sells savory herbs and pepper jellies, said it was her first year selling at the festival, but that she was pleased with the interest in her booth.

“Maybe 50 people have stopped,” Marshall said. “I’ve had several people asking where they can buy my items, if I am nearby.”

Besse, who was also pleased with the turnout, jokingly admonished any Wareham resident who decided not to attend the festival.

“Anybody who didn’t get down here today, shame on ‘em,” Besse said. “They missed a good event.”

Wareham Village Association president Robert Brady later said it was difficult to say how many people attended the festival, because the association did not charge for admission.

Brady said he believed between 4500 and 5000 may have attended, based on the crowds circulating Pezzoli Square, but that the association will reach out to vendors, to get a more accurate count.

"They really are the best witnesses, because we [the staff] are really running around," Brady said.