LEWISTON — Firing a real model rocket was quickly ruled out. What if it landed on a car, or hit someone in the eye?

Instead, the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council will use a virtual rocket to emphasize the theme “Launching a new decade” for its 15th annual Androscoggin Business to Business Trade Show.

Trade show doors open Thursday at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee at 9:30 a.m., in time for the virtual liftoff. More than 2,500 people are expected to attend. Entrance is free for anyone who leaves a business card.

The theme is a play on goodbye aughts, hello teens.

“It’s sort of a fresh start,” LAEGC spokesman Paul Badeau said. “It’s launching a new decade. Not many tears, I think, will be shed over the old one.”

For the seventh year in a row, Badeau said, exhibitor space sold out. Companies in the 200 or so booths with range from Internet firms and architects to septic system services.

It’s the state’s largest one-day business trade show, he said, and for the first time this year LAEGC focused on advertising it more broadly using traditional ads, Facebook and Twitter. They also took to text, creating the B2B Text Club, sending out updates and trivia for the last several weeks.

The show is a spot for businesses to get together, share ideas, market to one another and network, Badeau said. “People come there, I think, willing to look around and see what other companies are doing.”

An Androscoggin County Chamber of Commerce breakfast will kick off the morning at 7:15 a.m. at Bates College up the road with keynote speaker Matt Hoffner. Hoffner, president of Jobg8.com (pronounced job gate), will talk about how businesses can innovate and rethink their own models, Badeau said, as well as how to prep for the recovery.

The free trade show will run from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The chamber will offer a cash bar Business After Hours at the Colisee from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The symbolic B2B Starglider Unmanned Rocket is tied to a $1,000 giveaway that will have attendees guessing where in the Twin Cities it will land. Badeau said progress reports from “mission control” will be given throughout the day.

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