The Mock Convention is held on the first weekend in May of every presidential election year. The purpose of the convention is to predict the presidential nominee of the political party currently out of the White House with as much accuracy as possible. The Mock Convention began at Washington and Lee University in 1908 after William Jennings Bryan visited Lexington in the spring of that year. He raised such enthusiasm that a mock convention was held in which Bryan was unanimously nominated.

The convention begins with a parade of visiting dignitaries and floats from all delegations. The 1964 parade was led by a pair of elephants to symbolize the Republican party. Following the parade, delegates hear speeches by political notables and select the party nominee.

No convention was held in 1920 or 1944 because of wartime reductions in the number of civilian students.