Long before it became the Fort Pierce Event Center, this historic property was known as Baker’s Flamingo Bar and Grill, one of Fort Pierce’s most significant live-music venues during the 1950s and 1960s. Located in the heart of the Lincoln Park community, the venue was part of a thriving era of Black music, culture, business, and entertainment in Fort Pierce.

 

Historic records show that the Flamingo welcomed nationally recognized performers including B.B. King, Sam Cooke, Nat King Cole, Ruth Brown, and other celebrated artists of the era.

 

The venue’s story is especially meaningful because it was part of Fort Pierce’s connection to the historic Chitlin’ Circuit, the network of venues that gave Black entertainers places to perform during segregation. City records specifically recognize the former Flamingo Bar and Grill—later known as the Love Center—as part of that important cultural history.

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Over the decades, the property continued to serve the Lincoln Park community in new ways. In 1995, the Love Center began its work at the site, building a long-standing legacy of service, recovery, support, and community outreach. Today, the Fort Pierce Event Center carries that legacy forward by giving families and guests a place to gather, celebrate, and create new memories in a space with deep roots in Fort Pierce history.

 

From legendary music performances to weddings, quinceañeras, birthdays, anniversaries, and community celebrations, this is more than an event venue—it is a place where generations of stories have been shared and where new history continues to be made.