The pre-event excitement began in the city's Yuanbaoshan District with the 17th annual "Min BA (civilian basketball association)" tournament, a grassroots sporting event that has grown into a major cultural and economic driver.

The 22-day basketball festival, kicking off on July 19, attracted more than 30 amateur teams from across China, drawing crowds of fans and tourists, who also explored local agricultural fairs and power plant heritage sites. Last year's tournament brought in 150,000 visitors, generated over one million yuan ($139,000) in tourism revenue, and attracted more than 500,000 viewers online.