The 2017 edition of the annual New Year celebration in Pasadena - known as the Tournament of Roses - will include the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl American football game, as well as other festivities.

Created in partnership with LA 2024 and the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, the float will "bring to life the city’s iconic venues" and will feature Olympic and Paralympic legends, including gymnasts Nadia Comaneci and Bart Conner, Paralympic long jumper Lex Gillette and beach volleyball star April Ross.

They will be joined on the float by several young, local athletes who will be representing the LA84 Foundation, the youth sports non-profit organisation.

The float will help mark the city's 119th consecutive year of collaboration with the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, making it one of the longest running float entries in Rose Parade history.

Designed by the renowned Fiesta Parade Floats, the float will be comprised of more than 20,000 roses, chrysanthemums and carnations, as well as natural materials such as seeds, rice and moss.

In addition to Comaneci, Conner, Gillette and Ross, the current line-up of athletes participating includes swimmer Haley Anderson, Summer and Winter Paralympic medallist Candace Cable, hurdler Dawn Harper-Nelson, beach volleyball players Holly McPeak and Sinjin Smith, badminton's Howard Shu and swimmer Rudy Garcia Tolson.

The landmark Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum will stand at the front of the float, with a flame burning atop of its cauldron.

In addition, Los Angeles' "diverse recreational activities, breathtaking landscapes and scenic coastline" will be represented in the centre of the float which is to be surrounded by floral illustrations of crystalline crashing waves.

"On behalf of LA 2024, we are honoured to participate in the City of Los Angeles' float for the 128th Rose Parade," said LA 2024 chairman Casey Wasserman.

"The Rose Parade is the perfect stage to show the world our city's enthusiasm and passion for the Olympic Movement.

"Our 'Follow the Sun' float reflects the City of Angels' optimism, innovation and creativity that LA 2024 intends to harness to deliver a New Games for a new era."

LA 2024 Athletes’ Commission members and Olympic champions Janet Evans, Greg Louganis and Allyson Felix were recently named grand marshals of the Tournament of Roses.

All three Olympians serve on the LA 2024 Athletes’ Advisory Commission, which aims to ensure that athletes are involved in all aspects of Los Angeles’ plans and bid for the 2024 Games.

Budapest and Paris are also bidding for the 2024 Games, with a host city due to be elected at the 2017 International Olympic Committee Session in Lima on September 13.